For the Newcomer

What is a sponsor?

Sponsorship is one recovering person talking to another recovering person. Through sharing, both individuals enrich their lives. The sponsor and the sponsee meet as equals, attend meetings regularly together, discuss recovery issues, work the Steps, and work the program. For the newcomer, a sponsor is a special person with whom they can discuss problems, ask questions, and through whom they can gain an understanding of recovery through the Twelve Step program.
Is a sponsor required?

No. Sponsorship is an important, valuable aid in recovery, but it is not required. Is it important to have a sponsor? Yes. A relationship with a sponsor is an important tool in recovery. It is often the beginning of the development of an ability to trust others and communicate effectively. Having frequent, close contact with another member of the program provides an opportunity to deal with issues in private that one might not be willing to raise in front of the group.
How does one get a sponsor?

The usual way is to ask a person to sponsor you who has some of the personal and recovery attributes that you admire. It helps if the potential sponsor has been clean and sober long enough to have worked the Steps of recovery. In order to select a sponsor, it is best to attend as many meetings as possible to widen your exposure to recovering persons. There are no specific rules for choosing a sponsor, but an individual who is living life successfully and happily might be worth considering.
How can I overcome shyness, procrastination, or the fear of imposing myself on another in selecting a sponsor?

Getting a sponsor is not like getting married; there is no long-term commitment. One can ask a person to be an interim sponsor, that is a temporary sponsor, and see how the relationship develops. It is important to get beyond our fears of asking other people for help. It is indeed an honor for a person to be asked to be a sponsor. We are not burdening others with our problems, and fears of doing so should not be used as an excuse to avoid making a commitment.
Should a sponsor be of the same sex or gender?

The gender of a sponsor you select to guide you through the 12 Steps is at your discretion. We suggest avoiding sponsorship relationships that may lead to problematic attachments, including romantic and/or sexual relationships, which could detract from the primary purpose of recovery.
What if I want to change sponsor?

Then do so. If you feel a different person can better enhance your recovery, then it is good form to gently let your current sponsor know that you want to utilize the particular experience of another person and that you will be changing sponsors. This is frequently done in Twelve Step programs and many “long timers” have had several different sponsors.
How often should I contact my sponsor?

This is up to you and your sponsor. Many sponsors ask newcomers to call them daily for the first month or two. If your sponsor is away or can’t be reached it is wise to call other members of the program. It is a good idea to call several people regularly in any case.
Must I do anything a sponsor asks, or agree with whatever a sponsor says?

No. If clarification is needed or disagreements emerge, then they should be discussed openly between the parties involved. Your recovery is your responsibility. You would be wise to heed your sponsor or get another sponsor with whom you can work. There is no rank in the program and the relationship between you and your sponsor is one of trust and shared experiences.

DETOXING

In spite of the common belief that there are no physiological or psychological effects of cannabis/marijuana addiction, a large number of recovering MA members experience withdrawal symptoms in some form as they stop using marijuana. For the purpose of this pamphlet, the words cannabis and marijuana are used interchangeably.

During withdrawal, the body works to reach a state of homeostasis while cleansing itself of lingering chemical influences. Detoxing can result in disruptions in brain chemistry and may be accompanied by mental and physical health repercussions for varying lengths of time. Alcohol and other drugs typically leave the body in a couple of days or weeks. THC (the active chemical in cannabis) is stored in the fat cells. Therefore, the body can retain THC for several months after quitting. This pamphlet has been written by MA members, not medical professionals, and any of the opinions expressed are personal experiences. Every body is different, and the length of detox time is unpredictable.

What is a sponsor?

Sponsorship is one recovering person talking to another recovering person. Through sharing, both individuals enrich their lives. The sponsor and the sponsee meet as equals, attend meetings regularly together, discuss recovery issues, work the Steps, and work the program. For the newcomer, a sponsor is a special person with whom they can discuss problems, ask questions, and through whom they can gain an understanding of recovery through the Twelve Step program.
Is a sponsor required?

No. Sponsorship is an important, valuable aid in recovery, but it is not required. Is it important to have a sponsor? Yes. A relationship with a sponsor is an important tool in recovery. It is often the beginning of the development of an ability to trust others and communicate effectively. Having frequent, close contact with another member of the program provides an opportunity to deal with issues in private that one might not be willing to raise in front of the group.
How does one get a sponsor?

The usual way is to ask a person to sponsor you who has some of the personal and recovery attributes that you admire. It helps if the potential sponsor has been clean and sober long enough to have worked the Steps of recovery. In order to select a sponsor, it is best to attend as many meetings as possible to widen your exposure to recovering persons. There are no specific rules for choosing a sponsor, but an individual who is living life successfully and happily might be worth considering.
How can I overcome shyness, procrastination, or the fear of imposing myself on another in selecting a sponsor?

Getting a sponsor is not like getting married; there is no long-term commitment. One can ask a person to be an interim sponsor, that is a temporary sponsor, and see how the relationship develops. It is important to get beyond our fears of asking other people for help. It is indeed an honor for a person to be asked to be a sponsor. We are not burdening others with our problems, and fears of doing so should not be used as an excuse to avoid making a commitment.
Should a sponsor be of the same sex or gender?

The gender of a sponsor you select to guide you through the 12 Steps is at your discretion. We suggest avoiding sponsorship relationships that may lead to problematic attachments, including romantic and/or sexual relationships, which could detract from the primary purpose of recovery.
What if I want to change sponsor?

Then do so. If you feel a different person can better enhance your recovery, then it is good form to gently let your current sponsor know that you want to utilize the particular experience of another person and that you will be changing sponsors. This is frequently done in Twelve Step programs and many “long timers” have had several different sponsors.
How often should I contact my sponsor?

This is up to you and your sponsor. Many sponsors ask newcomers to call them daily for the first month or two. If your sponsor is away or can’t be reached it is wise to call other members of the program. It is a good idea to call several people regularly in any case.
Must I do anything a sponsor asks, or agree with whatever a sponsor says?

No. If clarification is needed or disagreements emerge, then they should be discussed openly between the parties involved. Your recovery is your responsibility. You would be wise to heed your sponsor or get another sponsor with whom you can work. There is no rank in the program and the relationship between you and your sponsor is one of trust and shared experiences.

Cross Addiction

“The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using marijuana.”

Tradition Three

Marijuana Anonymous was formed so that marijuana addicts would have a safe haven for recovery, without being ridiculed for "only" being marijuana addicts. However, many of us have found that the only way that we can keep our sobriety is to abstain from all mind and mood altering chemicals, including alcohol. As stated in our third tradition, the only requirement for membership in Marijuana Anonymous is a desire to stop using marijuana. In fact, there's not even a demand that we stop using, only that we have a desire to stop. There is no mention of alcohol or any other substances. This is to adhere to the "singleness of purpose" concept.

When we give up the drug of our choice, a void is created. The initial struggle to abstain from marijuana use often leaves us vulnerable. For the first time in years, we no longer have marijuana clouding our feelings; we don't even have a name for some of these feelings. We may experience happiness, pleasure, satisfaction, enjoyment, fulfillment, and other positive feelings; we may also experience anger, depression, resentment, sorrow, dejection, fear, emptiness, and other negative feelings. To fill these voids or numb the pain, we may start to use, or increase the use of, other substances such as alcohol, cocaine, pills, or other drugs. Since we've never done feelings, of any kind, too well, we may use mind or mood altering chemicals to take the edge off our powerful new feelings, both positive and negative. Although we may not now be addicted to these substances, their use can lower our inhibitions and leave us open to repeating old patterns of thinking and behavior, which can lead back to marijuana use or on to new addictions.

Many of the addicts who come to MA have just not been able to stay clean and sober. While a few have gone back to using marijuana right from the start, most have started with another substance. It is usually alcohol since it's so readily available and socially acceptable. They felt safe since alcohol had not been a problem for them in the past.

They also wanted to be "a part of," and not be different from their non-addict friends. However, we are different from our non-addict friends! That's one of the things we have to learn if we are going to turn our lives around. There is an old saying: "Once you're a pickle, you cannot go back to being a cucumber." For many of us, a drink on Friday night can become a few drinks on Friday night, and then a few drinks a few nights a week, and so on and so on. We know the story. We played that one out with marijuana. Or maybe we just have a couple of drinks, lower our resistance, then pick up a joint and there we are out using again.

Those of us who have managed to put together a few years in this program have learned to think of other substances as something we haven't gotten addicted to....yet. It doesn't mean we can't and won't, if given a chance. The fact that we became addicted to marijuana reflects a tendency towards behavior that may lead to cross addiction (addiction to other substances). Particularly during the first few shaky months, we might find ourselves drawn to new obsessive behavior, that might have been unacceptable before. We may overeat, become addicted to our jobs, find ourselves on shopping sprees we can't afford, etc.

In fact, because of our past addictive behavior, we even have to be very careful of prescribed medications! We addicts have a dangerous tendency to self-medicate. If the doctor tells us to take one pill, we figure two will be better. If we have three pills left over after an injury or surgery, we save them instead of throwing them away. After all, we tell ourselves, we might need them the next time we are in real (or imagined) physical pain. We cannot deviate from prescribed use without placing our sobriety in jeopardy. As recovering marijuana addicts, we have learned that we must be very vigilant about our sobriety at all times, in all ways.

The belief that marijuana cannot be addictive is widely circulated throughout the world. Well, somehow, we managed to get addicted to this "non-addictive" substance. We recovering marijuana addicts don't need to play with fire by checking out other addictive substances.

To reiterate, the only requirement for membership in Marijuana Anonymous is a desire to stop using marijuana. It is important, however, to recognize the potential to create another problem as we strive to recover from this one.