Our Sixth Tradition states “MA groups ought never endorse, finance, or lend the MA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.” For this reason, MA cannot endorse any particular chip manufacturer or other outside enterprise.
Similarly, MA is unable to get into the business of making products with the MA logo itself, first because MA World Services is made up of a small group of volunteers, who juggle their service to MA with their own recovery, families, school responsibilities, careers, jobs and personal lives. These few volunteers are quite simply unable to manage the production of MA merchandise while also supporting the society of MA by not only supporting MA members, meetings, groups, regions and districts, but also by managing its financial, business and legal affairs as provided for by its bylaws. To get involved in the production of MA merchandise itself, such as by making recovery-based chips, coins, tokens or medallions for sale, could also cause “problems of money, property, and prestige” to “divert us from our primary purpose” in violation of the Sixth Tradition.
However, knowing the importance to MA members of having recovery-based chips, coins, tokens and medallions with the MA logo on them available, MA World Services has a Chips Committee that communicates with larger chip manufacturers and attempts to negotiate licensing agreements to have them produce MA chips. To contact the Chips Committee, email [email protected]
Meetings, groups, regions and districts who have signed a licensing agreement with MA World Services are also free to make themselves, or order or commission a third-party outside manufacturer to make chips bearing the MA logo. However, they must only order chips for distribution within their district, and the third-party company cannot sell chips with the MA logo on their own websites or social media without entering into their own separate licensing agreement with MA World Services.