Nicotine Anonymous - The Pros & Cons Of The 12-Step Program

By Phil Conran

The following are the Twelve Steps of Nicotine Anonymous:

1. We admitted that we were powerless over nicotine - that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to nicotine users and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Overall, Nicotine Anonymous is a good program. It focuses on the addictive nature of nicotine, and the program is a great resource if you want to go through the quitting process with other like-minded people. One drawback for some individuals is the religious undertone. Another problem is that some of the groups frown on the use of quit-smoking medications.

The bottom line is that it's a good program, especially if you believe in the concept of a Higher Power. Some groups advocate against using quit-smoking medications, others support the idea. Yet some like to combine it with another method such as nicotine replacement therapy.

The Pros of Nicotine Anonymous

1. Good support structure that is available for as long as you need it.
2. Great choice for those who have been successful in any of the other 12-step programs
3. The group has a good track record.
4. It is a free program.
5. Uses a person's spirituality as an aid.
6. Provides online support.
7. Meetings are available throughout the world, which is great for travelers.

The Cons of Nicotine Anonymous

1. Not good if you don't want a sponsor.
2. Not good if you don't like religious undertones.
3. May not have meetings near you.
4. Some members may frown upon those who choose to use quit-smoking medications.

Author Details:
Phil Conran writes for various web sites including information portals such as Simply Top's Free Article Directory, information junkie and the A-Z of.com

Source: The A-Z of Smoking

NOTE: This article may be reproduced ONLY if this note, the author details, source and ALL links remain in place and active.

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