Who are members of NA?
Anyone who wants to stop using drugs may become a member of Narcotics Anonymous. Membership is not limited to addicts using any particular drug. Those who feel they may have a problem with drugs, legal or illegal, including alcohol, are welcome in NA. Recovery in NA focuses on the problem of addiction, not on any particular drug.

Anonymity
The basic premise of anonymity allows addicts to attend meetings without fear of legal or social repercussions. This is an important consideration for an addict thinking about going to a meeting for the first time. Anonymity also supports an atmosphere of equality in meetings. It helps ensure that no individual's personality or circumstance will be considered more important than the message of recovery shared in NA.

NA meetings
NA's primary approach to recovery is the belief in the therapeutic value of one addict helping another. Members take part in NA meetings by talking about their experiences and recovery from drug addiction. NA meetings are informally structured, held in space rented by the group, and are led by members who take turns opening and closing the meeting. NA meetings and other services are funded entirely from donations by addict members and the sale of recovery literature. Financial contributions from non-members are not accepted.

Most NA meetings are held regularly at the same time and place each week, usually in a public facility. There are two basic types of meetings: those which are open to the general public and those closed to the public (for addicts only). Meetings vary widely in format. Some formats are: participation, speaker, question and answer, topic discussion, and some have a combination of these formats. The function of any meeting is always the same: to provide a suitable and reliable environment for personal recovery.

How does NA work?
Addicts helping each other recover are the foundation of NA. Members meet regularly to talk about their experiences in recovery. More experienced members (known as sponsors) work individually with newer members. The core of the NA program is the Twelve Steps. These 'steps' are a set of guidelines outlining a practical approach to recovery. By following these guidelines and working closely with other members, addicts learn to stop using drugs and face the challenges of daily living.

Narcotics Anonymous is not a religious organisation and does not mandate any particular belief system. It does teach basic spiritual principles such as honesty, open-mindedness, faith, willingness, and humility that may be applied in everyday life. The specific practical application of spiritual principles is determined by each individual. Recovery in NA is not a miracle cure that happens within a given period of time. It is a process, ongoing and personal. Members make an individual decision to join and recover at their own pace.

Rate of Growth
Since no attendance records are kept, it is difficult to estimate what percentage of those who come to Narcotics Anonymous ultimately achieve long-term abstinence. The only sure indicator of our success is the rapid growth in the number of Narcotics Anonymous groups over the last several years and the rapid spread of Narcotics Anonymous outside North America.

In 1978, we had fewer than two hundred registered groups in three countries; in 1982, eleven countries had twelve hundred groups; as of January 1993, it is estimated that more than 25,000 groups are holding weekly meetings in over sixty countries.

NA Member Poll Results
Narcotics Anonymous conducted an informal poll in 1989, to which over 5000 members responded. Here are the results.

Age 11% of our members are under 20
37% are between 20 and 30
48% are between 30 and 45
4% are over 45
Men/Women 64% of our members are men
36% of our members are women
 
How our members found Narcotics Anonymous
47% introduced through hospitals or institutions
29% introduced through another member
24% introduced through a professional (doctors, attorneys, clergy, judges)
 
Weekly meetings attended
50% attend at least 4 meetings per week

NA in the community
Volunteer committees of NA members are formed to coordinate many services within the community. NA accepts no financial contributions from non-members, has no professional counsellors and maintains no clinics or residential facilities.

Below is a list of services that NA may offer.
Community Awareness Meetings may be conducted by NA members to inform the community of the existence of Narcotics Anonymous and its available services.

Health Fairs and Conferences are events conducted by professional organisations at which NA may have a display booth and/or presents information at a workshop.

Presentations are often provided to churches, parole officers, judges, counselors, nurses, doctors, and schools, among other, for information purposes.

Public Service Announcements can provide information about NA distributed to the public via the media (press, radio, television, billboards, bus signs and posters).

Phoneline Services may provide local meetings information and general information about NA.

Meetings Lists which are locally produced schedules that contain times of and locations for meetings in the community are generally available.

Services to Hospitals & Institutions are provided by local committees through meetings/presentations to introduce those people attending to some of the basics of the Narcotics Anonymous program. They carry the NA message of recovery to addicts who do not have full access to regular NA meetings. Meetings or presentations are provided to hospitals, jails, addiction treatment facilities, detox centres and other institutions.

Literature Services include a variety of books, pamphlets and audio tapes, some in Braille or large-type editions. Narcotics Anonymous literature is published in English and several other languages.

Contact Narcotics Anonymous
In many communities, Narcotics Anonymous is listed in the white pages of the telephone directory. Phonelines are staffed by recovering addicts, or by a service that can contact recovering members. Phone services are primarily designed to help addicts find meetings close by. Other information may be available through the phoneline, as well.

A phoneline call is a good place to start if you have further questions about NA. If there is no phoneline in your community, or if you have questions about Narcotics Anonymous in another community, contact NA's World Service Office. The World Service Office can provide information about meetings or other services, as well as a catalogue listing all of NA's recovery literature. The Australian Helplines and the Australian Fellowship Service Office contacts can be found here.