Nicotine Anonymous
Encyclopedia
Nicotine Anonymous is a twelve-step program
for people desiring to quit smoking
and live nicotine
free. As of May, 2008 there are 600 meetings in thirty-eight countries worldwide with the overwhelming majority of these meetings occurring in the United States
, followed by Canada
, Brazil
, Australia
and the UK, respectively. NicA maintains that total abstinence from nicotine is necessary for recovery. NicA defines abstinence as "a state that begins when all use of nicotine ceases."
by several Alcoholics Anonymous
(AA) members to focus specifically on smoking cessation. These AA members began meeting under the name Smokers Anonymous in Los Angeles
, shortly thereafter another group independently started in San Francisco. In 1986 the group members met for their first conference in Bakersfield, California
to form a fellowship, originally known as Smokers Anonymous, later changing the name to Nicotine Anonymous as the Smokers Anonymous trademark was not available. In 2000, "NicA" was selected to abbreviate Nicotine Anonymous at the annual World Service Conference.
World Services, Inc., the Twelve Traditions
are utilized by Nicotine Anonymous as fundamental guiding principles. Nicotine Anonymous operates with an elected, all volunteer, nine member National Board of Directors and a set of by-laws. The Board meets regularly to discuss how to be of service to the organization including organizing the NicA annual conference and monitoring the NicA national clearing house, Nicotine Anonymous World Services, located in Dallas, TX. The NicA clearing house keeps regularly updating meeting lists, manages the website, and serves as a resource for members or any interested smoker. There are no dues or fees for NicA membership, as stated in Tradition Three: "the only requirement for Nicotine Anonymous membership is a desire to stop using nicotine."
, The American Lung Association
, The American Heart Association
and The Seventh-day Adventist Church
. Commercial programs include cognitive-behavioral group therapy, nicotine replacement therapies
and bupropion
. Combinations of these approaches, marketed in commercial packages such as Smokeless and Smoke Stoppers, are licensed to treatment providers and conducted on an inpatient or outpatient basis. These are in addition to local programs ran by regional treatment facilities.
NicA is unique among array of treatment options as its meetings are held weekly, nicotine users and ex-nicotine users can leave and enter the process as they please. Most other treatment programs are run episodically, making it difficult for members to pick it up midway through or begin when a program is not being offered.
In 1996, NicA ranked twelfth in size among the thirteen twelve-step organizations studied by Klaus Makela. Sponsorship and lifetime attendance is not emphasized as much as in as in other twelve-step program
s. The average meeting size is about seven people.
Although both drinking and smoking are recognized by many respondents as imposing burdens on the family, there are no auxiliary support groups for friends and family of smokers related to NicA; as Al-Anon meetings were created for friends and family members of alcoholics. Nicotine Anonymous World Services does, however, offer a pamphlet, Are You Concerned About Someone Who Smokes or Chews Tobacco? with information for friends and family of nicotine users.
In a controlled study of 205 alcoholics with three months or more of continuous abstinence from drugs and alcohol and heavy tobacco dependence (an average of 26.8 cigarettes per day) were placed at random in one of three treatment groups: an American Lung Association Quit Program plus Nicotine Anonymous meetings group, a behavioral counseling plus physical exercise group, or a behavioral counseling plus nicotine gum group. The effectiveness of the treatment programs was measured at post-treatment, six months, and twelve-months following post-treatment based on self-reports confirmed by confirmed biochemical and informant reports. Immediately following treatment the behavior counseling and exercise group had the highest quit percentage (60%) followed by the behavioral counseling plus nicotine gum group, with the ALA quit program plus NicA group at 31%. At the six-month follow up all groups had similar percentages of members maintaining abstinence from tobacco (29%, 27%, and 21%, respectively) and also at twelve-months (27%, 27%, and 26%, respectively). Out of all the participants, only 4% relapsed on alcohol or drugs. The alcohol relapse rate did not differ by treatment group.
Alcoholics
may have experienced twelve-step approaches to recovery, and therefore may be more open to the possibility that same technology can be used to initiate and maintain abstinence from tobacco use. The first edition of Nicotine Anonymous: The Book published results of an internal survey of members showing that 25% of members responding to a survey on the topic reported they had prior twelve-step experience. Many smokers do not see group treatment as a potentially useful.
Twelve-step program
A Twelve-Step Program is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems...
for people desiring to quit smoking
Smoking cessation
Smoking cessation is the process of discontinuing the practice of inhaling a smoked substance. This article focuses exclusively on cessation of tobacco smoking; however, the methods described may apply to cessation of smoking other substances that can be difficult to stop using due to the...
and live nicotine
Nicotine
Nicotine is an alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants that constitutes approximately 0.6–3.0% of the dry weight of tobacco, with biosynthesis taking place in the roots and accumulation occurring in the leaves...
free. As of May, 2008 there are 600 meetings in thirty-eight countries worldwide with the overwhelming majority of these meetings occurring in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, followed by Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and the UK, respectively. NicA maintains that total abstinence from nicotine is necessary for recovery. NicA defines abstinence as "a state that begins when all use of nicotine ceases."
History
The first meetings began in February 1982 in Southern CaliforniaSouthern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
by several Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
(AA) members to focus specifically on smoking cessation. These AA members began meeting under the name Smokers Anonymous in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, shortly thereafter another group independently started in San Francisco. In 1986 the group members met for their first conference in Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
to form a fellowship, originally known as Smokers Anonymous, later changing the name to Nicotine Anonymous as the Smokers Anonymous trademark was not available. In 2000, "NicA" was selected to abbreviate Nicotine Anonymous at the annual World Service Conference.
Structure
Adapted with permission of Alcoholics AnonymousAlcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
World Services, Inc., the Twelve Traditions
Twelve Traditions
The Twelve Traditions of twelve-step programs provide guidelines for relationships between the twelve-step groups, members, other groups, the global fellowship, and society at large. Questions of finance, public relations, donations, and purpose are addressed in the Traditions...
are utilized by Nicotine Anonymous as fundamental guiding principles. Nicotine Anonymous operates with an elected, all volunteer, nine member National Board of Directors and a set of by-laws. The Board meets regularly to discuss how to be of service to the organization including organizing the NicA annual conference and monitoring the NicA national clearing house, Nicotine Anonymous World Services, located in Dallas, TX. The NicA clearing house keeps regularly updating meeting lists, manages the website, and serves as a resource for members or any interested smoker. There are no dues or fees for NicA membership, as stated in Tradition Three: "the only requirement for Nicotine Anonymous membership is a desire to stop using nicotine."
Comparison
There are several commercial and nonprofit programs supporting smoking cessation programs in the United States. Low-cost options, in addition to Nicotine Anonymous are sponsored by groups such as The American Cancer SocietyAmerican Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
, The American Lung Association
American Lung Association
The American Lung Association is a voluntary health organization whose mission is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease.-History:...
, The American Heart Association
American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas...
and The Seventh-day Adventist Church
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
. Commercial programs include cognitive-behavioral group therapy, nicotine replacement therapies
Nicotine replacement therapy
Nicotine replacement therapy is the remedial administration of nicotine to the body by means other than tobacco, usually as part of smoking cessation. Common forms of nicotine replacement therapy are nicotine patches and nicotine gum...
and bupropion
Bupropion
Bupropion is an atypical antidepressant and smoking cessation aid. The drug is a non-tricyclic antidepressant and differs from most commonly prescribed antidepressants such as SSRIs, as its primary pharmacological action is thought to be norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibition...
. Combinations of these approaches, marketed in commercial packages such as Smokeless and Smoke Stoppers, are licensed to treatment providers and conducted on an inpatient or outpatient basis. These are in addition to local programs ran by regional treatment facilities.
NicA is unique among array of treatment options as its meetings are held weekly, nicotine users and ex-nicotine users can leave and enter the process as they please. Most other treatment programs are run episodically, making it difficult for members to pick it up midway through or begin when a program is not being offered.
In 1996, NicA ranked twelfth in size among the thirteen twelve-step organizations studied by Klaus Makela. Sponsorship and lifetime attendance is not emphasized as much as in as in other twelve-step program
Twelve-step program
A Twelve-Step Program is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems...
s. The average meeting size is about seven people.
Although both drinking and smoking are recognized by many respondents as imposing burdens on the family, there are no auxiliary support groups for friends and family of smokers related to NicA; as Al-Anon meetings were created for friends and family members of alcoholics. Nicotine Anonymous World Services does, however, offer a pamphlet, Are You Concerned About Someone Who Smokes or Chews Tobacco? with information for friends and family of nicotine users.
Effectiveness
Success in achieving smoking abstinence current smoking therapies such as Nicotine Anonymous, cognitive-behavioral group therapy, nicotine replacement therapies and bupropion (Zyban) ranges from 9% to 40% in different studies. Alcoholics and drug addicts have better smoking cessation success rates when attempting to quit smoking early in recovery. Combining psychosocial and pharmacological treatments increases smoking cessation success rates. Acupuncture, hypnosis, inpatient treatment, and Nicotine Anonymous have not been shown effective thus far.In a controlled study of 205 alcoholics with three months or more of continuous abstinence from drugs and alcohol and heavy tobacco dependence (an average of 26.8 cigarettes per day) were placed at random in one of three treatment groups: an American Lung Association Quit Program plus Nicotine Anonymous meetings group, a behavioral counseling plus physical exercise group, or a behavioral counseling plus nicotine gum group. The effectiveness of the treatment programs was measured at post-treatment, six months, and twelve-months following post-treatment based on self-reports confirmed by confirmed biochemical and informant reports. Immediately following treatment the behavior counseling and exercise group had the highest quit percentage (60%) followed by the behavioral counseling plus nicotine gum group, with the ALA quit program plus NicA group at 31%. At the six-month follow up all groups had similar percentages of members maintaining abstinence from tobacco (29%, 27%, and 21%, respectively) and also at twelve-months (27%, 27%, and 26%, respectively). Out of all the participants, only 4% relapsed on alcohol or drugs. The alcohol relapse rate did not differ by treatment group.
Demographics
In a survey of 104 smokers (ages 18 an older) 78% reported they believed spiritual resources could be helpful in an attempt to quit smoking. In the same survey, male smokers, ages 31 and over, and females were found to be significantly more open to using spiritual resources in the smoking cessation process than controls. Heavy smokers, those smoking more than fifteen cigarettes per day, were also significantly more receptive to encouragement of spiritual resources in an attempt to quit.Alcoholics
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
may have experienced twelve-step approaches to recovery, and therefore may be more open to the possibility that same technology can be used to initiate and maintain abstinence from tobacco use. The first edition of Nicotine Anonymous: The Book published results of an internal survey of members showing that 25% of members responding to a survey on the topic reported they had prior twelve-step experience. Many smokers do not see group treatment as a potentially useful.
Literature
Nicotine Anonymous publishes four books, several pamphlets, and one newsletter. Nicotine Anonymous: The Book explains the various twelve-step principles as they apply to nicotine addiction and includes testimonials from NicA members. Our Path to Freedom: 12 Stories of Recovery includes testimonials from NicA members. 90 Days, 90 Ways has 90 daily meditations on topics related to cessation of nicotine use. A Year of Miracles has 366 daily meditations on topics related to recovery from nicotine addiction. The pamphlets provide information to new and prospective members, suggestions on establishing new NicA meetings, and include titles such as: A Nicotine User's View of the 12-Steps, Introducing Nicotine Anonymous to the Medical Profession, Introducing Nicotine Anonymous, To the Newcomer and Sponsorship in Nicotine Anonymous, How Nicotine Anonymous Works, and The Serenity Prayer for Nicotine Users. Seven Minutes is a quarterly newsletter used to keep members informed about developments within the organization.- Nicotine Anonymous World Services (April 2008). A Year of Miracles, 1st Edition, Huntington Beach, CA: Nicotine Anonymous World Services. ISBN 0977011544.
Analysis
A NicA pamphlet, Tips for Gaining Freedom from Nicotine, was reviewed in 1999 by a convenience sample of twelve professional colleagues of psychologist Edward Lichtenstein. The sample of professionals were asked to review the cessation tips from the pamphlet and rate them on whether they were cognitive, behavioral, or neither. To that extent, they also rated how consistent the tips were with current cognitive-behavioral cessation techniques. It was found that many of the tips were very consistent with modern cognitive-behavioral smoking cessation treatment programs. The cognitive behavioral tips included setting dates, making commitments, planning things to keep one's mind of smoking, having something to fidget with, having something to put in one's mouth, rewarding oneself when goals has been met, remembering that discomfort associated with withdrawal will subside within two weeks. Other tips were found to be spiritual or exhortational such as: "Remember, every minute you were sucking on cigarettes they were sucking on you," or "Don't say, I'll take my chances' and continue to smoke. They are not ours to take ... that is up to God." Since 1999 many of the NicA pamphlets have been updated and current versions may not contain the information analyzed.See also
- Addiction recovery groupsAddiction recovery groupsAddiction recovery groups are voluntary associations of people who share a common desire to overcome drug addiction. Different groups use different methods, ranging from completely secular to explicitly spiritual. One survey of members found active involvement in any addiction recovery group...
- List of twelve-step groups
- NicotineNicotineNicotine is an alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants that constitutes approximately 0.6–3.0% of the dry weight of tobacco, with biosynthesis taking place in the roots and accumulation occurring in the leaves...
- SmokingSmokingSmoking is a practice in which a substance, most commonly tobacco or cannabis, is burned and the smoke is tasted or inhaled. This is primarily practised as a route of administration for recreational drug use, as combustion releases the active substances in drugs such as nicotine and makes them...
- Allen CarrAllen CarrAllen Carr was an author of books about quitting smoking and other psychological dependencies including alcohol addiction. He quit smoking after 33 years as a hundred-a-day chain smoker.-Biography:...
- Joel SpitzerJoel SpitzerJoel Spitzer is an American smoking cessation educator. He currently serves as technical advisor at WhyQuit.com, a free nicotine dependence recovery website...