In Cocaine Anonymous, we recognise that addiction is not limited to any single substance. Step One invites us to admit we are powerless over cocaine and all other mind-altering substances, while Tradition Three affirms that the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using. Many of us arrived believing our problem was linked to a specific drug, but experience showed that substitution or combining substances only prolonged our struggle. Whether our difficulties involved cocaine, alcohol, marijuana, prescription medication, or other legal or illegal drugs, the result was the same: we could not stop. C.A.’s Twelve Steps provide a spiritual path to recovery, welcoming anyone who seeks freedom from addiction, regardless of the substances involved.
STEP ONE: We admitted we were powerless over cocaine and all other mind-altering substances—that our lives had become unmanageable.
TRADITION THREE: The only requirement for C.A. membership is a desire to stop using cocaine and all other mind-altering substances.
Many people come to Cocaine Anonymous thinking one of two things: “I rarely (or never) even used cocaine. I don’t think I belong here,” or “What exactly does the ‘and all other mind-altering substances’ part mean? I came to Cocaine Anonymous because cocaine had become a problem in my life.”