The Twelve Steps of Nicotine Anonymous

1. We admitted 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 the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to nicotine users and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

The Twelve Traditions of Nicotine Anonymous

1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon Nicotine Anonymous unity
2. 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. The only requirement for Nicotine Anonymous membership is a desire to stop using nicotine.
4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or Nicotine Anonymous as a whole.
5. Each group has but one primary purpose – to carry its message to the nicotine addict who still suffers.
6. A Nicotine Anonymous group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the Nicotine Anonymous name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
7. Every Nicotine Anonymous group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
8. Nicotine Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
9. Nicotine Anonymous, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
10. Nicotine Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the Nicotine Anonymous name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, TV, and films
12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalties.

Our Promises

On our path to freedom, joy, and serenity, we are guided by the Twelve Steps of Nicotine Anonymous, which allow us to successfully steer the treacherous curves of craving, emotionality, turmoil and unmanageability. Our spiritual life is not a theory; we have to live it.

Physical improvement for many of us has been almost immediate. Our sense of smell and taste returns; the world takes on a new dimension of color and clarity. Our self-esteem is fueled by the genuine realization that a Power greater than ourselves has pulled us from the muck of denial where we have been ever so slowly killing ourselves. We no longer have to answer the “craving call” every twenty minutes! We choose to ask for the help this program offers so that we can reduce our risk of becoming one of the millions of premature nicotine related deaths each year. What relief!

We are learning to assert ourselves where previously we have been aggressive or passive; we are also beginning to love ourselves. As the numbness lifts, we begin to feel again, sometimes, to the temporary peril of those around us!

Gradually, our interest is focusing on Nicotine Anonymous rather than nicotine. We begin to forget we had been nicotine users, except at meetings. We now realize we have been participating in a grand hoax. We haven’t given up anything at all!

Health is a new experience. We are humbly grateful for this gift. Our Higher Power, through this program, has done for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Third Step Prayer

Relieve me of the bondage of self.  Help me to abandon myself to the spirit. Move me to do good in this world and show kindness.  Help me to overcome and avoid anger, resentment, jealousy and any other kind of negative thinking today.  Help me to help those who suffer.  Keep me alert with courage to face life and not withdraw from it, not to insulate myself from all pain whereby I insulate myself from love as well.

Free me from fantasy and fear.  Inspire and direct my thinking today; let it be divorced from self pity, dishonesty and self-seeking motives.  Show me the way of patience, tolerance, kindliness and love.  I pray for all of those to whom I’ve been unkind and ask that they are granted the same peace that I seek.  Amen

Through trust in our Higher Power, we found that we were taken care of in surprising and simple ways. This gave us new confidence and an increasing faith. Our victory over our own difficulties encouraged us to continue, and we became an example for others as well.

11th Step Prayer

God, direct my thinking in this upcoming day. Humble me and guide me. Show me the way. Keep dishonest and self-seeking motives away, and do not allow self-pity to enter my day. Keep selfish motives out of all my thoughts, and remind me often of what you have taught.

When I am faced with some indecision today, show me the right course and guide the way. Give me intuitive thoughts as you inspire me, or give me a decision so my mind can be free. Teach me how to relax and take it easy too. I know the right answers will come from you.

Don’t let me struggle if the going gets rough. Your same right answers will still be enough. Place my thinking more on an inspired plane. Let me come to rely on it and avoid the pain.

Above all, God, give me freedom from self-will. Guide each step while I’m climbing the hill. Remind me to ask for right action or thought when I’m agitated, in doubt or even distraught.

Thy will be done. I’m no longer running the show. I love You, God, and I just wanted You to know.