Come celebrate 15 years of CMA on October 3rd! Volunteers needed!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
What is clean and sober, according to CMA
Bill C. had two models to choose from when setting up the fellowship of Crystal Meth Anonymous, those of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.
Narcotics Anonymous was started because many of the members of Alcoholics Anonymous considered drug use an outside issue, the discussion of which in meetings detracted from the singleness of purpose outlined in AA's traditions. This made for controversy and discomfort for drug addicts who needed the 12-step model, and Narcotics Anonymous was started.
Narcotics Anonymous literature uses the word "clean" instead of "sober" to connote abstinence from all mind-altering substances, but it is unequivocal in its insistence that alcohol is a drug. Although the burgeoning of crystal meth as a drug of choice prompted Bill C. to start a new fellowship, this terminology was adopted in our own literature. At the beginning of each meeting, we read a paragraph adapted directly from NA's How It Works: "Thinking of alcohol as different from other drugs has caused a great many addicts to relapse...we cannot afford to be confused about this...alcohol is a drug, period. We are people with the disease of addiction who must abstain from all drugs in order to recover."
The Third Tradition also states "the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using." It does not state that someone is required to have stopped using or drinking, for that matter, in order to come to meetings. Many people come to the decision to stop over time, often because they were exposed to the support and recovery available to them in meetings.
However, what constitutes "clean time" in Crystal Meth Anonymous, as far as that which is acknowledged on a group level in the form of chips and birthday cakes, is clear. It is abstinence from all non-medically prescribed drugs, including alcohol.
Mark O.
Narcotics Anonymous was started because many of the members of Alcoholics Anonymous considered drug use an outside issue, the discussion of which in meetings detracted from the singleness of purpose outlined in AA's traditions. This made for controversy and discomfort for drug addicts who needed the 12-step model, and Narcotics Anonymous was started.
Narcotics Anonymous literature uses the word "clean" instead of "sober" to connote abstinence from all mind-altering substances, but it is unequivocal in its insistence that alcohol is a drug. Although the burgeoning of crystal meth as a drug of choice prompted Bill C. to start a new fellowship, this terminology was adopted in our own literature. At the beginning of each meeting, we read a paragraph adapted directly from NA's How It Works: "Thinking of alcohol as different from other drugs has caused a great many addicts to relapse...we cannot afford to be confused about this...alcohol is a drug, period. We are people with the disease of addiction who must abstain from all drugs in order to recover."
The Third Tradition also states "the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using." It does not state that someone is required to have stopped using or drinking, for that matter, in order to come to meetings. Many people come to the decision to stop over time, often because they were exposed to the support and recovery available to them in meetings.
However, what constitutes "clean time" in Crystal Meth Anonymous, as far as that which is acknowledged on a group level in the form of chips and birthday cakes, is clear. It is abstinence from all non-medically prescribed drugs, including alcohol.
Mark O.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Tues Night Meeting (Frank
Due to the recent event at the Tuesday night meeting at 2530 Hyperion Ave. Frank's House has asked that the meeting no longer take place there.
Efforts are underway to locate a new venue for this meeting and as soon as this has happened, this information will be shared here.
Efforts are underway to locate a new venue for this meeting and as soon as this has happened, this information will be shared here.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
GSR Meeting, September 12, 2009
Hello CMAer’s,
I want to thank everybody that participated in the GSR meeting on Saturday September 12, 2009. We covered a lot of ground and here are the key points from the meeting.
• We had a change in officers: Tim P. is secretary, Dale G. is events chair and Roger D is information and out reach. Congratulations guys!
• At this time I would like to thank Sal I (out-going events chair), Tim P. (out-going information and out reach chair) for all their dedication and service to the committee.
• A new committee was formed called the advisee. This committee will be comprised of those officers that came before in order to help guide us with their knowledge of this program.
• Gary W, Chairman for PACMA gave a report from the monthly meeting that took place in San Diego on August 29th. They are working on developing an H&I committee that would help us to take panels to prisons state wide. They are also working on splitting California into two regions in order to have two votes from California at the world conference.
• Due to a recent event, a minority report was presented to us that reiterated our traditions and reaffirmed our readings clearly state that our program is a program of complete abstinence from all drugs and that alcohol is a drug period.
The unity of CMA is the most cherished quality our society has. Our lives and the lives of all who come depend on it. The CMA member has to conform to the principles of recovery. His/her life depends on obedience to spiritual principles.
When a meeting decides to by group conscience re-define sobriety by allowing someone to consume alcohol; then said meeting has veered from the traditions in CMA. It is their message and they are free to share it, but it is not the unified message of CMA. The minority report was forwarded to the GSO.
• Ari U., our registration/directory chair, has the new directory online at our website (CMAINLA.COM) and he has physical copies for your meetings. They are available for .20 cents a copy at our monthly GSR meeting. If a meeting is low on funds the district will cover the cost for your meeting.
• Dale G. events chair, will be overseeing the upcoming events lined up through January 2010. The first event will be the 15 year Crystal Anniversary of Crystal Meth Anonymous on Oct. 3rd at Plummer Park. This will be a one day conference from 8-4 which will include: 11th Step Yoga; the history, organization, and traditions of CMA; and four workshops (steps; sponsorship; experience, strength, and hope; & spirituality). There will also be a barbecue and a main speaker. From 8pm - 1am at the church at Fountain and Fairfax). On Sunday there will be a planned event to accommodate our out of town guests (no cost to the district).
Other events are: the annual Halloween dance on Friday Oct. 23rd at The Church on Fountain and Fairfax, a roller skating night on Wednesday Nov. 4, a holiday dance in December, and a bowling night in January. All these events are CMAINLA district fundraisers.
If anyone is interested in being a part of the planning process, please contact Dale G. (an e-mail can be left on the district website) to be a part of this committee.
• The Labor Day pool party on Monday September 7, 2009 at the Van Ness Recovery House was the first of an annual event.
• H&I
• Victor D - Chair
• Marc R. - Co-Chair
• Mark M. - Secretary
• Eddie S. - Treasurer
• Donald L. - County & State Liaison for incarceration facilities
• GSR's are requested to invite CMA members to attend & participate in the H&I meeting on the 2nd Saturday of the month if they would like to speak on panels.
Those interested in speaking on jail panels should have 5 years of sobriety and show their interest in the jail program by participating on the established panels that do not require clearance or on AA H&I panels.
H&I has accepted applications from about 12 members requesting jail clearance from LASD. One CMA member has already been cleared and has spoken on a jail panel. Other speakers on the CMA jail panels (held the 2nd & 4th Thursday of each month at MCJ since mid-July 2009) previously received LASD jail clearance through the fellowship of another 12 Step program.
It is no longer necessary to take phone numbers or messages from CMA members interested in H&I. Those that would like to participate should be invited to attend the monthly H&I meeting. It is listed in the directory.
If the GSR's home meeting has an H&I liaison already, please invite them to participate in the monthly meeting so they may be informed of H&I updates.
If the GSR's home meeting does not have an H&I liaison, please invite them to create the commitment in a manner the meeting sees fit.
H&I will follow the format of the 12 Step program our H&I meeting is modeled after. The H&I Chair & Co-Chair will choose new panel leaders from current H&I participants, as they are needed.
• Kurt T. has chips and literature available at each GSR meeting. If you need these items you can come to the meeting or let your GSR know what you need.
• Meetings that need support are:
Monday: Promises 7pm @ NJWC 543 N. Fairfax Avenue.
Tuesday: Relapse Prevention 8:30pm @ Cedars 8730 Alden Dr.
Wednesday: Sex & Relationships 8:00pm @ The AT Center 1773 Griffith Park Blvd.
Saturday: Step into the solution 9:10am @ The Village 1125 N. McCadden Place.
Sunday: Gracious Methers 4pm West L.A. Alano Club 11530 W. Pico Blvd.
Sunday: Sunday Morning CMA 9:30pm 1900 San Fernando Rd.
• The next GSR meeting is on Saturday October 10, 2009 @10am.
Being of service,
Freddie
I want to thank everybody that participated in the GSR meeting on Saturday September 12, 2009. We covered a lot of ground and here are the key points from the meeting.
• We had a change in officers: Tim P. is secretary, Dale G. is events chair and Roger D is information and out reach. Congratulations guys!
• At this time I would like to thank Sal I (out-going events chair), Tim P. (out-going information and out reach chair) for all their dedication and service to the committee.
• A new committee was formed called the advisee. This committee will be comprised of those officers that came before in order to help guide us with their knowledge of this program.
• Gary W, Chairman for PACMA gave a report from the monthly meeting that took place in San Diego on August 29th. They are working on developing an H&I committee that would help us to take panels to prisons state wide. They are also working on splitting California into two regions in order to have two votes from California at the world conference.
• Due to a recent event, a minority report was presented to us that reiterated our traditions and reaffirmed our readings clearly state that our program is a program of complete abstinence from all drugs and that alcohol is a drug period.
The unity of CMA is the most cherished quality our society has. Our lives and the lives of all who come depend on it. The CMA member has to conform to the principles of recovery. His/her life depends on obedience to spiritual principles.
When a meeting decides to by group conscience re-define sobriety by allowing someone to consume alcohol; then said meeting has veered from the traditions in CMA. It is their message and they are free to share it, but it is not the unified message of CMA. The minority report was forwarded to the GSO.
• Ari U., our registration/directory chair, has the new directory online at our website (CMAINLA.COM) and he has physical copies for your meetings. They are available for .20 cents a copy at our monthly GSR meeting. If a meeting is low on funds the district will cover the cost for your meeting.
• Dale G. events chair, will be overseeing the upcoming events lined up through January 2010. The first event will be the 15 year Crystal Anniversary of Crystal Meth Anonymous on Oct. 3rd at Plummer Park. This will be a one day conference from 8-4 which will include: 11th Step Yoga; the history, organization, and traditions of CMA; and four workshops (steps; sponsorship; experience, strength, and hope; & spirituality). There will also be a barbecue and a main speaker. From 8pm - 1am at the church at Fountain and Fairfax). On Sunday there will be a planned event to accommodate our out of town guests (no cost to the district).
Other events are: the annual Halloween dance on Friday Oct. 23rd at The Church on Fountain and Fairfax, a roller skating night on Wednesday Nov. 4, a holiday dance in December, and a bowling night in January. All these events are CMAINLA district fundraisers.
If anyone is interested in being a part of the planning process, please contact Dale G. (an e-mail can be left on the district website) to be a part of this committee.
• The Labor Day pool party on Monday September 7, 2009 at the Van Ness Recovery House was the first of an annual event.
• H&I
• Victor D - Chair
• Marc R. - Co-Chair
• Mark M. - Secretary
• Eddie S. - Treasurer
• Donald L. - County & State Liaison for incarceration facilities
• GSR's are requested to invite CMA members to attend & participate in the H&I meeting on the 2nd Saturday of the month if they would like to speak on panels.
Those interested in speaking on jail panels should have 5 years of sobriety and show their interest in the jail program by participating on the established panels that do not require clearance or on AA H&I panels.
H&I has accepted applications from about 12 members requesting jail clearance from LASD. One CMA member has already been cleared and has spoken on a jail panel. Other speakers on the CMA jail panels (held the 2nd & 4th Thursday of each month at MCJ since mid-July 2009) previously received LASD jail clearance through the fellowship of another 12 Step program.
It is no longer necessary to take phone numbers or messages from CMA members interested in H&I. Those that would like to participate should be invited to attend the monthly H&I meeting. It is listed in the directory.
If the GSR's home meeting has an H&I liaison already, please invite them to participate in the monthly meeting so they may be informed of H&I updates.
If the GSR's home meeting does not have an H&I liaison, please invite them to create the commitment in a manner the meeting sees fit.
H&I will follow the format of the 12 Step program our H&I meeting is modeled after. The H&I Chair & Co-Chair will choose new panel leaders from current H&I participants, as they are needed.
• Kurt T. has chips and literature available at each GSR meeting. If you need these items you can come to the meeting or let your GSR know what you need.
• Meetings that need support are:
Monday: Promises 7pm @ NJWC 543 N. Fairfax Avenue.
Tuesday: Relapse Prevention 8:30pm @ Cedars 8730 Alden Dr.
Wednesday: Sex & Relationships 8:00pm @ The AT Center 1773 Griffith Park Blvd.
Saturday: Step into the solution 9:10am @ The Village 1125 N. McCadden Place.
Sunday: Gracious Methers 4pm West L.A. Alano Club 11530 W. Pico Blvd.
Sunday: Sunday Morning CMA 9:30pm 1900 San Fernando Rd.
• The next GSR meeting is on Saturday October 10, 2009 @10am.
Being of service,
Freddie
Monday, September 7, 2009
H&I Panels
GSRS:
If your meeting does not have an H&I liaison, please call a business meeting to decide:
1. If you want an H&I liaison
2. If you decide to have a liaison, take a vote to decide if it is an appointed position or an elected position
3. If it's an elected position, elect a a liaison or if it's an appointed position, appoint one.
Don't forget:
September H&I Meeting
Saturday, September 12, 2009
1pm @ West Hollywood Recovery Center
626 N. Robertson Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Please continue to invite your fellows to sign up for panels.
Thank you,
Roger
If your meeting does not have an H&I liaison, please call a business meeting to decide:
1. If you want an H&I liaison
2. If you decide to have a liaison, take a vote to decide if it is an appointed position or an elected position
3. If it's an elected position, elect a a liaison or if it's an appointed position, appoint one.
Don't forget:
September H&I Meeting
Saturday, September 12, 2009
1pm @ West Hollywood Recovery Center
626 N. Robertson Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Please continue to invite your fellows to sign up for panels.
Thank you,
Roger
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