Annapolis Area Intergroup

The Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous

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1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.

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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 A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.

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4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole.

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5. Each group has but one primary purpose-to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.

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6. An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.

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7. Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.

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8. Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.

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9. A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

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10. Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

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11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.

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12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

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Reprinted with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.