12 Traditions of Narcotics Anonymous

1. UNITY

[Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on NA unity.]

2. LEADERSHIP

[For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.]

3. ELIGIBILITY

[The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using.]

4. AUTONOMY

[Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or NA as a whole.]

5. CARRYING THE MESSAGE

[Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry the message to the addict who still suffers.]

6. OUTSIDE ENTERPRISES

[An NA group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the NA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property or prestige divert us from our primary purpose.]

7. SELF-SUPPORTING

[Every NA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.]

8. GIVING IT AWAY (FREE OF CHARGE)

[Narcotics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.]

9. ORGANIZATION

[NA, as such, ought never be organized, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.]

10. OUTSIDE OPINIONS (NO POLITICS/CONTROVERSY)

[Narcotics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the NA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.]

11. PUBLIC RELATIONS

[Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.]

12. ANONYMITY

[Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.]