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Public Relations Statement
The Narcotics Anonymous message is “that an addict, any addict,
can stop using drugs, lose the desire to use and find a new way
to live.”
Our relations with the public enable us to share this message
broadly so that those who might benefit from our program of
recovery can find us.
We perform public relations service to increase the awareness
and credibility of the NA program. We share our message openly
with the public at large, with prospective members, and with
professionals. Maintaining an open, attractive attitude in these
efforts helps us to create and improve relationships with those
outside the fellowship. Establishing and maintaining a
commitment to these relationships, can help us to further our
primary purpose.
The spiritual principles of our steps, traditions, and concepts
guide us in pursuing our public relations aims and our efforts
to enhance NA’s public image and reputation. These principles
apply to our community and service efforts as well as to the
personal behavior and attitude of individual NA members.
Informing
professionals and the Publicthe public
The following statement can be used to inform the public
about NA:
Narcotics Anonymous is a global, community-based organization
with a multi-lingual and multicultural membership. NA was
founded in 1953, and our membership growth was minimal during
our initial twenty years as an organization. Since the
publication of our Basic Text in 1983, the number of members and
meetings has increased dramatically. Today1, NA members hold
more than 43,900 meetings weekly in 127 countries. We offer
recovery from the effects of addiction through working a
twelve-step program, including regular attendance at group
meetings. The group atmosphere provides help from peers and
offers an ongoing support network for addicts who wish to pursue
and maintain a drug-free lifestyle.
Our name, Narcotics Anonymous, is not meant to imply a focus on
any particular drug; NA’s approach makes no distinction between
drugs including alcohol. Membership is free, and we have no
affiliation with any organizations outside of
NA including governments, religions, law enforcement groups, or
medical and psychiatric associations. Through all of our service
efforts and our cooperation with others seeking to help addicts,
we strive to reach a day when every addict in the world has an
opportunity to experience our message
of recovery in his or her own language and culture.
As
of March 2007.
NA and
Public Relations
The
principle of service, critical to the application of our
Eleventh Tradition, is not a passive principle. To be of maximum
service to the still-suffering addict, we must energetically
seek to carry our message throughout our cities, towns, and
villages. …We must take vigorous steps to make our program
widely known. The better and broader our public relations, the
better we will be able to serve.
Tradition Eleven,
It
Works: How and Why
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