Marijuana Anonymous

What is a Group Inventory?

Inventories are designed to bring problem areas to light.

These problem areas are then analyzed for individual participation and how each member plays a part in the problem. The goal is to find workable solutions to all problems discovered – as a group. To make any changes necessary for the betterment of the group, and further each individual member’s recovery.

Many groups, meetings, districts, and service committees periodically hold a “group inventory meeting” – using one meeting annually for a fearless and rigorously honest discussion of the group’s strengths and weaknesses. Groups, Meetings, Districts and Regions take the group inventory to evaluate how well they are fulfilling MA’s primary purpose: to help carry the message of recovery to marijuana addicts. Remember to place “principles before personalities” and leave personality based participation outside the inventory; work together as the service members you are, and find workable solutions to the problems you discovered together.

Photo of people's shoes and the concrete has the text written "Passion Led Us Here"“We learned that as long as we resisted taking our inventory, we put our sobriety and our lives at risk. Just as denial once stopped us from seeking recovery, defiance, shame, and fear can hinder our spiritual growth. Once we made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to a Higher Power, it was imperative that we do just that.” – from Life with Hope, Step Four.

Group problems are often evidence of a healthy diversity of opinion among the group members. They give us a chance to “practice these principles in all our affairs.” Step 12. Almost every group problem has a resolution, which usually can be reached through the mechanism of an informed group conscience. Importantly, a good sense of humor, placing principles before personalities, cooling-off periods, patience, courtesy, willingness to listen and to wait-plus a sense of fairness and trust in a “Power greater than ourselves” – have been found far more effective than legalistic arguments or personal accusations.

Many groups have found that holding a group inventory perked up members’ activity, involvement and service in MA, and made sobriety more enjoyable — besides helping to get the message to more marijuana addicts. 

Group problems that can be addressed in a group inventory include such common MA questions as: 

  • Are there changes that could be made to help increase attendance and member retention? 
  • How can we encourage members to be of service to our group? 
  • Is our meeting welcoming and safe? 
  • Can we do more to support the newcomer?

Our membership is rapidly growing and changing, so it’s more important than ever to evaluate how well groups are meeting the needs of MA’s members, both our newest members. Some groups take inventory by examining Spiritual Principles behind each of the 12 Steps, one at a time, to determine how well they are living up to each Tradition and its underlying principle. Others may also use and review our Twelve Traditions and/or the Twelve Concepts for Service. 

Here are some suggestions on the details of conducting an inventory. Feel free to use these as you find them appropriate for your group.

While we have many suggestions, there is no right way to hold a group inventory – it’s about what is best for your meeting, as determined by the group conscience.

Beginning the Group Inventory 

A trusted servant or an impartial third party from outside the Group (another GSR, or a trusted servant from the DSC or World Services) can facilitate. If the group cannot decide who should facilitate the group inventory, World Services is available to provide information and/or help find someone neutral and impartial to assist as needed.

Pre-Inventory Suggestions

Have at least one meeting before the inventory meeting. Use this time to decide on issues such as: who should facilitate the meeting, questions to be answered before the inventory meeting (anonymously if desired), basic “ground rules” and “participant’s rights,” and any other related “agreements” for how the inventory meeting will be conducted. 

Establish “ground rules.” Let the group know that everyone will have a chance to speak to each question; each person speaking only once until all that wish to speak have done so. Try to discourage back and forth discussion. If your group is large, you may need to put a time limit on comments.

Determine what topics will be discussed. Consider asking some of the questions to the entire group either instead of sending ahead of time, or to talk about solutions to issues identified in the written pre-inventory questionnaire responses. 

Direct all comments to the facilitator. If you (the facilitator) have an opinion to share, do so, but make sure you do not dominate the discussion. As the facilitator, you are to be as impartial as possible. Take notes (or ask another member to do so) and offer those notes, or a full write up of the inventory to all members of the group.

Solutions may be offered, but no vote will be taken until all voices are heard. After the group has a chance to review the information, another group conscience meeting can be scheduled to discuss (and if appropriate, vote on) the solutions offered in the inventory. 

Schedule another business meeting (or dedicate the next regularly scheduled business meeting) members can bring solutions as motions for the group to vote on adopting (i.e. format changes, and more suggested changes discussed) 

If things get too heated, or are taking too long, use the group conscience to decide if the meeting should be continued at another date. The group inventory meeting can be more than one meeting if needed to allow all opinions to be heard, and all issues to be discussed. While time limits on speaking are suggested to manage the length of the meeting, there is value in “cooling off” if the meeting gets heated, or allowing members to step away to sleep on and think on the issues discussed in the first meeting. If people are going to change their mind or be swayed by the opinions shared in the inventory, it’s usually after cooling off time to think about the issues discussed. 

Group Member Pre-Inventory Questions

For either members to answer in writing before the inventory (anonymously if desired)or to answer together as part of the Group Inventory, depending on what the Group Conscience decides when planning the Inventory

  • Why are you participating in the Group Inventory? What do you hope to get out of this experience? How long have you been a member of this Group?
  • What is the basic purpose of the group?
  • Does the group do its fair share toward participating in the purpose of MA — as it relates to our Three Legacies of Recovery, Unity, and Service? 
    • Do new members keep coming back, or does the turnover seem excessive? If so, why? What can we as a group do? 
    • Are all members given the opportunity to speak at meetings and to participate in other group activities?
    • Is the spirit of rotating being followed (so that the members in service are rotating on a regular basis, with elections being held every 6 months, or other period of time?)
  • Do we emphasize the importance of sponsorship? How effectively? How can we do better?
    • Does someone make a sponsorship announcement and ask for available sponsors to raise their hand?
    • Do our members volunteer to sponsor? Do our new members have a hard time finding sponsors? Is there anything we can do to help members feel more comfortable agreeing to sponsor?
    • Does our District have a sponsor support meeting? Offer any training or support for new sponsors? 
  • What more can the group do to carry the message? 
    • What has the group done lately to bring the MA message to the attention of professionals in the community—the physicians, clergy, court officials, educators, and others who are often the first to see marijuana addicts in need of help?
    • What has our group done to bring MA meetings to hospitals and institutions (including rehabilitation and mental health facilities and sober living), whether in-person or virtual. World Services’ H&I Trustee can provide support for starting local H&I meetings, which are often the first way members learn about MA.
  • How is the group fulfilling its responsibility to the Seventh Tradition?
    • Do we make donations to the District or Region? World Services? 
  • Do we have any kind of safety committee, new member liaison, safety liaison or meeting announcement about which trusted servants members (especially new members) can contact if they feel unsafe?
    • Do we have any kind of basic safety “rules” in place as a group that members are aware of? Do we include any announcements at the start of the meeting about the basic safety rules (e.g. no smoking or vaping on camera, dressing appropriately, using the phone list and/or group chat only for recovery-based discussion, and not for self-promotion or romantic advances, not using the meeting chat for anything other than recovery, etc.) 
    • What do we do to protect the anonymity of members listed on our phone list? Does our phone list have anything written on it, or announced when it is shared, about what the proper and improper uses of it are? 
    • Do we take steps to ensure the safety of the chat (by turning off the ability to chat privately or at all during meetings?)
  • Do you have any additional questions or suggestions for the group?

Group Facilitators Pre-Inventory Questions

You may want to have members answer some basic questions ahead of time to prepare for the Group Inventory meeting. They can be submitted anonymously, if desired. You can use “Google forms” to create a form with some questions for submission (anonymously if desired). Reach out to [email protected] or [email protected] for support. Your Group can add (or exclude) any questions to best suit the needs of the group. 

You can also suggest that members of your group review AA’s “Traditions” Checklist and ask themselves the questions included in that pamphlet to see how well each member individually is embodying the 12 Traditions. You can also discuss whether any of those questions should be adapted for use in the group inventory meeting.  It is only a suggestion to review and respond to these questions before the inventory, or in writing (or via Google forms) to allow anonymity. Your group has autonomy to conduct the inventory however the group conscience determines is the best for the Group, which may mean reading through these questions together as a part of the Inventory meeting.

Suggested Pre-Inventory Questions about Meeting/Group Logistics for Group Service Members, i.e. Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, to Answer Ahead of Time

  • Do your meetings start at the time and place that your meeting schedule lists?
    • On the MA World Services’ Meeting Finder, district website and/or printed schedules is it listed accurately?
    • Are the meeting’s characteristics on the MA Meeting Finder, such as contact info location, and time also up to date? 
  • What is the average weekly attendance at your meeting?
    • Does the Group have a stable meeting place (whether in-person or virtual)?
    • Has your location/platform (e.g. Zoom, if virtual) been an asset to your group? Are there unique challenges? (e.g. Zoom bombers, or members abusing the chat?) 
  • Are business meetings held every month? On a regular date?
    • How does your group take a group conscience at business meetings? Does your group have an established policy on what is needed for a motion to pass, (i.e. is a simple majority or 3/4 majority needed for a motion to pass?)
      • Do you have a written group conscience on the meeting format, group service positions, voting procedures, etc.?  
    • Are minutes kept at each business meeting? Does the group keep records (of speakers, meetings, business meeting minutes?)
    • How well does the District keep its historical and institutional record?
  • What are the trusted servant positions in the group?
    • Do members fulfill commitments, or are there vacant positions?
    • Do some members double up on commitments? 
    • Do members regularly rotate service commitments i.e. every 6 months are positions voted on again so new trusted servants have an opportunity to be of service (and avoid burnout for members remaining too long in one role?)
  • Does the treasurer keep accurate financial records and report regularly to the group so that can be shared with the District or Region?
    • Are regular bank deposits made? Is loose cash kept around?
    • Are two signatures required on checks if the group has a checking account?

Discussing Group Inventory “Participants Rights”

It is suggested that your group decide on some “ground rules” and “participant rights” prior to beginning the inventory so that everyone feels as though the discussion is fair and allows everyone an opportunity to share their opinions. The following are taken from MA’s 12 Concepts of Service, which are guiding spiritual principles in regards to service.

  • Everyone has the right to decision. (Concept 3)
  • Everyone has the right to participate (by being a part of any conversation or debate, and voting). (Concept 4) 
  • The minority opinion has the right to appeal. (Concept 5)

“Before we begin the group inventory process, as a group we will discuss how to make sure we adhere to these Concepts and rights during the inventory process, and also brainstorm other agreements together we’d like to have in place for our Group Inventory.” Your group can discuss and vote on the “ground rules” for the group inventory meeting.

Coming to an informed Group Conscience

The group conscience is the collective conscience of the group membership and this represents substantial unanimity on one issue before definitive action is taken. This is achieved by the group members through the sharing of full information, individual points of view, and the practice of MA’s principles. For a group conscience to be fully informed, group members should review all the pertinent information with a willing and open mind to listen to minority opinions, or why any members disagree. Placing principles before personalities, each member has an opportunity to share their individual viewpoints on the matter. The trusted servant(s) will then hold a vote to determine the majority opinion (also known as the group conscience) on the subject. 

There is no one right way to obtain a group conscience, other than to be guided by MA’s 12 Traditions and Spiritual Step Principles. MA groups are autonomous, and so are free to develop their own ways of obtaining a group conscience. MA World Services does not govern, and merely exists as a resource. In their autonomy, MA’s meetings have developed a wide variety of unique ways of holding business meetings, voting, discussing proposed motions, and reaching a group conscience. On sensitive issues, the group works slowly, discouraging formal motions until a clear sense of its collective view emerges. Group members should come together in mutual trust to arrive at a group decision, not one individual’s personal triumph. In this way, members are open and have a willingness to maybe change their own opinions after obtaining information or hearing the viewpoints of others.

Sample Inventory Questions

How Well Does Our Group Adhere to the 12 Step Spiritual Principles?

Honesty: In working the 1st Step, when we “admitted we were powerless over marijuana, that our lives had become unmanageable,” we had at last found the courage to face the truth and tell it; we were practicing the principle of HONESTY.

  • What does honesty mean to our group? Why is it important?
  • How can we see honesty at work in our group and amongst our members?
  • How well does our group embody and/or adhere to the principle of honesty? 
  • Are our trusted servants honest? Are our members honest?
  • Can members be honest about their concerns, especially in business meetings?

Hope: In working the 2nd Step, when we “came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity,” we were practicing the principle of HOPE.

  • What does hope mean to our group and why is it important?
  • What can we do to encourage the principle of hope to flourish in our group?
  • How well does our group embody the principle of hope?
  • Do we provide hope to members?
  • What else could our group do to bring the principle of hope to our fellowship?

Faith: In working the 3rd Step, when we “made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understood God,” we were practicing the principle of FAITH.

  • What does faith mean to our group and why is it important?
  • How can we see faith at work in our fellowship?
  • What can we do to encourage the principle of faith to flourish in our group?
  • How well does our group embody the principle of Faith?

Courage: In working the 4th Step, when we “made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves,” we were practicing the principle of COURAGE.

  • What does courage mean to our group? Why is it important?
  • How does our group embody the principles of courage?
  • Do we demonstrate courage to members?
  • Do members have courage to share in meetings? 
  • What can we do to better support prayer and courage in our group?
  • Are there other ways to support the principle of courage?

Integrity: In working the 5th Step, when we “admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs,” we were practicing the principle of INTEGRITY.

  • What does integrity mean to our group?
  • What are ways we see integrity at work? 
  • Do our group’s trusted servants embody integrity? Do our members?
    • If not, how can our trusted servants and members better embody integrity in our group?

Willingness: In working the 6th Step, when we “were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character,” we were practicing the principle of WILLINGNESS.

  • What does willingness mean to our group?
  • How is willingness seen at work in our group?
  • Do our Trusted Servants model willingness? 
  • Are members willing to be of service in both “tedious” roles, e.g. tech support, or kitchen clean-up for in-person meetings, and other types of service roles, such as Secretary/Chairperson?

Humility: In working the 7th Step, when we “humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings,” we were practicing the principle of HUMILITY.

  • What does humility mean to our group?
  • How can we see humility at work in our group? 
    • How has showing humility and placing principles before personalities helped our meeting?
  • How does humility, or a lack thereof, affect our ability to carry the message? Attract and retain newcomers? 
  • How does humility help our group to place “principles before personalities” and why is that important?
    • Are there ways members and Trusted Servants could both better embody the principle of humility?

Love and Forgiveness: In working the 8th Step, when we “made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all,” we were practicing the principles of LOVE and FORGIVENESS.

  • What do love and forgiveness mean to our group?
  • How can we see love and forgiveness at work in our group? 
  • Are there ways we could better support the principles of love and forgiveness? How so? 
  • Why is having love and forgiveness important to our group and our primary purpose of carrying the message of recovery?

Justice: In working the 9th Step, when we “made direct amends to such people wherever possible except when to do so would injure them or others,” we were practicing the principle of JUSTICE.

  • What does justice mean to our group?
  • How can we see justice or amends at work in our group?
  • Do members make amends to one another when appropriate? 
  • How can we encourage justice and amends in our group, and why is it important to do so?

Perseverance: In working the 10th Step, when we “continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it,” we were practicing the principle of PERSEVERANCE.

  • What does perseverance mean to our group? Why is it important? 
  • How can we see perseverance at work in our group? 
  • Are there ways we can encourage or otherwise facilitate the principle of perseverance in our Group?

Spiritual Awareness: In working the 11th Step, when we “sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out,” we were practicing the principle of SPIRITUAL AWARENESS.

  • What does spiritual awareness mean to our group? Why is it important to us?
  • How can we see spiritual awareness at work in our group? 
  • Are there ways we can encourage spiritual awareness in our group, since MA is a spiritual program?

Service: In working the 12th Step, when “having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to marijuana addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs,” we were practicing the principle of SERVICE.

  • What does service mean to our group and why is it important?
  • Do we have strong “Service Sponsorship” in our group to encourage members to be of service by learning from the outgoing trusted servant? 
  • Do trusted servants burn out and stop attending the meeting or stop being of service once their commitments end (or before they end?) Why? How can we prevent this?
  • Do we encourage sponsorship in our group? How? How can we better encourage this form of service in our fellowship? Do we provide any support to our sponsors?
    • Some districts have a sponsors meeting for sponsors to share about their experiences being sponsors and seek support from other sponsors.
  • Do our group’s members stick around and continue to serve, or do they leave our group once they’ve been sober for a while?
    • If they leave MA after being sober a while, why do you think this is? What do you think can be done to encourage longer time members to stay in MA and value service and giving back to MA where they got sober by attending meetings, sharing, taking service roles at all levels, sponsorship and service sponsorship, outreach to newcomers and more? 
  • How can we encourage the principle of service in our group?

How Well Does Our Group Adhere to MA’s 12 Traditions?

Tradition One: Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon MA unity.

  • Does our group put the interests of any individual above the welfare of the group or of MA as a whole? 
  • Does our group prioritize “MA unity?” How?
  • What does MA Unity mean to our group/meeting? How has our group been able to be autonomous while still prioritizing our common welfare and MA unity?  
  • Does our group/meeting do anything that could jeopardize “MA unity” and “our common welfare?”
  • How does our personal recovery benefit from MA unity?

Tradition Two: For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority, a loving God whose expression may come through in our group conscience. Our leaders are but Trusted Servants; they do not govern.

  • Does our group do anything that misrepresents the conscience of the majority of the group? 
  • Do our leaders govern? Is there a healthy rotation of service?

Tradition Three: The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using marijuana.

  • Does our group exclude anyone with a “desire to stop using marijuana” from attending the group, either expressly or implicitly? Do we make all feel welcome?
    • Closed meetings for women, men, POC, LGBTQIIA+ members or members who share other characteristics are consistent with MA’s Traditions, provided all members who share those characteristics with a desire to stop using marijuana are allowed to attend. 
  • Does our group have cliques that may make members feel less welcome than others?
  • Do we allow cross-talk that could make some members feel left out if their share is not referred to like others, and make them feel less welcome than others? 
    • Meetings are autonomous to permit, limit, or prohibit cross talk but it’s important to understand the reasons the group has decided to allow or prohibit or otherwise limit cross-talk and the effects that may have on members and the group unity.
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Tradition Four: Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or MA as a whole.

  • Does our group do anything that does not conform to MA principles and affects other groups or MA as a whole? 
  • How does our group balance Fourth Tradition autonomy with First Tradition’s emphasis on “MA unity?”
  • Does our group adhere to MA’s Intellectual Property policies that affect MA as a whole? See SM Ver. 8.1, Ch 14, pg. 47 for MA’s IP Policies or email [email protected].

Tradition Five: Each group has but one primary purpose, to carry its message to the marijuana addict who still suffers.

  • Does our group do anything that conflicts with our carrying the MA message to marijuana addicts who want a way out from their marijuana problem? 
  • How effectively does our group carry the message?
  • Are we carrying the message to a wide-range of addicts from our community, or do we only seem to attract certain types of people?

Tradition Six: 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

  • Does anything we do affiliate, endorse or bind the group, actual or implied, to any related facility or outside enterprise? 
  • Does our group have a website or social media site that uses the MA logo in conjunction with other trademarks or organizations names or logos?
  • Do we have a group or meeting website with ads that could be considered an implied affiliation or endorsement?

Tradition Seven: Every MA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.

  • How is the group fulfilling its responsibility to the Seventh Tradition?
  • What does the group use Seventh Tradition funds for?
  • Does the group receive donations from anyone other than an MA member?
  • Does the group make donations to the District or Region? World Services?
  • Does our group pay for all of its own expenses/is our group fully self-supporting? Or does the district pay some expenses, e.g. rent or Zoom fees?

Tradition Eight: Marijuana Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ Special Workers

  • Are there any fees besides meeting expenses being charged for any “12 Step” work, i.e., for fellowship, sponsoring, step work, counseling?

Tradition Nine: MA, as such, ought never be organized, but we may create Service Boards or Committees directly responsible to those they serve.

  • Is there a governing individual or exclusive group authority that dictates organization to our group? 
  • Do we rotate service commitments, or is one individual or a small group the “exclusive” or final group authority that dictates how our meeting/group is organized, such as about our format, our service structure, etc.?
  • Is our group “so and so’s” meeting, such that one individual takes exclusive ownership over the group and how it’s structured, i.e. format, service structure etc.

Tradition Ten: Marijuana Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the MA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

  • Does our group do anything that publicly states an opinion or takes sides on any issues or controversy that are outside of MA?
  • Do we provide members advice on issues such as detox, CHS, mental health or other medical issues, or do we simply share our own experience, strength and hope on these topics?
  • Does our meeting/group have and express an opinion  on issues like CBD or do we again only share each of our own experiences on such matters?
  • Have members of our group misused the “outside issues” language from the 10th Tradition  to try and silence members from speaking about their own personal experiences and how their recovery has been effected (e.g. race, gender, sexuality, etc.)? Or is it only used to limit taking sides publicly as a group on outside issues.
    • Members are free to share their own personal experiences, Trad. 10 prohibits only the group/meeting from publicly expressing an opinion on such outside issues. Members are free to share their experiences on these issues (e.g. race, sexuality, gender, CBD, detox, CHS, mental health, etc.) so long as it remains limited to their own experiences and how those issues relate to their recovery. 

See MA12.org/safety pg.8-10 for more on Tradition 10 “outside issues,” why closed meetings for members who share characteristics do not violate any Traditions, and why Trad 10 should not be used to silence members from sharing about what might be considered “outside issues” as they relate to their recovery.

Tradition Eleven: Our public relations policy is based upon attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, TV, film, and other public media. We need guard with special care the anonymity of all fellow MA members.

  • At the general public level, does the group publicize any individual MA member’s name or picture as a self-appointed representative of MA?
  • Do we protect members’ anonymity? How so?
  • Is the phone list used solely for fellowship and recovery-related purposes, and not misused to harass, flirt, seek romantic or sexual relationships, or advertise a personal product or service to members?
  • Does our phone list (or the announcement made with it) contain language about the proper use of the phone list? See MA12.org/meetingformats for suggested phone list language.

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

  • Does our group give personal distinction to any MA member either among fellow addicts, or the general public, that puts their opinions above the conscience of the group or MA as a whole? 
  • Does our group seek to place “principles before personalities” particularly during business meetings or meetings such as this one which could become heated without this guiding principle? Or does the loudest voice dominate meetings and discussions particularly business group conscience meetings?
  • Why does it mean to you when Tradition 12 states that anonymity is the “spiritual foundation” of all MA traditions? What about it is “spiritual” and why is it considered the “spiritual foundation” of all the other Traditions?

How Well Does our Group Adhere to the 12 Concepts for Service?

Concept for Service One: The Marijuana Anonymous Service Structure was created to give the groups the freedom to carry out our society’s primary purpose of carrying the message to marijuana addicts.

  • Does the meeting/group hold regular business meetings?
  • Does the meeting/group send a representative to the local District (or Region) Service Committee meeting? (GSR)
  • Does the group regularly talk about how to better fulfill MA’s primary purpose “to carry the message” of recovery to the addict who still suffers?
  • After paying expenses, does the group have enough money to conduct other services on its own that are in furtherance of carrying the message?
    • Does the meeting/group contribute money on a regular basis to the DSC and/or World Services?

Concept for Service Two: The ultimate authority and responsibility for service in Marijuana Anonymous is the collective conscience of the groups.

  • Does your Group Service Representative regularly take part in District Service Committee (DSC) meetings? 
    • Does the group have any way of letting the local DSC know whether it is meeting the group’s needs? How?  
  • How frequently is your group consulted on service matters by the DSC? MA World Services?
    • Do you want to be consulted more often? Less often? Only on specific topics? Like what?

Concept for Service Three: The Marijuana Anonymous groups have delegated to its Service Committees and Trusted Servants the full authority to conduct Marijuana Anonymous’ business and service regarding District as well as World affairs.

  • What does your meeting/group think about the concept of delegated authority? 
  • If your meeting/group were consulted on every decision that had to be made by every service board, committee, or subcommittee at the District or World Services level, would you still have enough time and energy to address your own group’s business? 

Concept for Service Four: All members of a Service Committee have the “Right of Participation,” and bear substantial responsibility for the Service Committee’s decisions.

  • Who participates in your meeting/group’s business meetings? Why? 
    • Are there any differences in the way members participate in service committee meetings and in a subcommittee meeting? Why, or why not? 
  • What does it mean to “bear substantial responsibility” for the Service Committee’s decisions? 
    • Do all members “bear substantial responsibility “for the MA services delivered? 
    • Do all members in your meeting/group or district/region’s service committees (i.e. DSC meetings or any District committees, i.e. H&I or Events) “bear substantial responsibility” for the Service Committee’s decisions? How so? If not, why not?
  • What does it mean for all members to have a “Right of Participation” in a Service Committee?
    • Are all members of the service committees in your group or district permitted to participate in the service committee’s decision making process? How so? Why or why not? 
    • Do all members of the DSC or other committees in your group or district actually participate in the committee’s decision making process? How so? If not, why not?

Concept for Service Five: Group conscience is the spiritual means by which service decisions are made.

  • What do we mean when we say that MA is a “spiritual” program? 
  • How does the practice of the 5th Concept help us focus on “principles, not personalities” when we make service decisions?
  • In what way is group conscience distinct from our decision-making processes? 
    • Is “group conscience” just MA ‘s way of saying “voting”? If not, how is it different?
    • What makes a spiritual decision making process? 
    • In what way is group conscience a fundamental part of that process?  
    • Does a spiritual program approach the decision-making process differently than other organizations? How so?

Concept for Service Six: A “Right of Appeal” exists to protect minority opinions, and to ensure that all viewpoints have been considered in the decision making process.

  • Why is it important to make sure all viewpoints are considered when making decisions about the group/meeting or district?  
  • Does your group/meeting consider the minority opinion in its decision-making process? How so? If not, explain. How can this be remedied? 
  • How does your group/meeting or district allow for a “right of appeal?” Have you ever been afraid to speak your conscience in service meetings? If so, why?  
  • How do you know when it’s time to speak up against a decision of the majority? When it’s time to accept a decision and surrender to group conscience?

Concept for Service Seven: The scope of responsibility and authority of every service position should be well defined to ensure accountability of all service positions as well as the ability to perform each position.

  • Do our group’s service positions have written descriptions to define the scope of responsibility for each position?
  • Do we provide service sponsorship, service position training, service member group chats, or other resources to help new trusted servants be of service?
  • Does the meeting/group assign particular tasks to particular people?
  • Are members willing to volunteer for service? Is there a lack of willingness? How can that be remedied?

Concept for Service Eight: Effective leadership qualities are essential for Trustees, who are entrusted with the responsibility of making final decisions regarding general World Service business and finances

  • What is the real foundation of MA leadership? 
  • What are the skills and personal traits we seek when selecting trusted servants? 
  • Does your meeting/group have leaders? 
  • Could your meeting/group do without leaders?
  • Does this meeting/group allow a rotation of leadership? How often?  
  • What does MA leadership have to do with recovery? With selfless service?

Concept for Service Nine: The Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of Marijuana Anonymous World Services are legal documents that empower the Trustees to manage and conduct World Service business; the Conference Charter is not a legal document but relies on the force of the Traditions and power of the group conscience.

  • How would it limit our group/meeting from fulfilling our primary purpose (to carry the message of recovery) if we had to manage and conduct the business aspects of MA as embodied in the Articles, Bylaws and Conference Charter amongst just our group/meeting? 
  • How does it help our group that World Services has a group of volunteers (and paid special workers) dedicated to performing the day-to-day tasks of managing World Services’ business that might otherwise overwhelm our group/meeting (or district?)
  • Does our group/meeting know how to contact the MA World Services’ Board of Trustees if it needs to regarding World Service business? 
    • Contact [email protected] and they will direct your question to the appropriate person. 

The Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and Conference Charter can be found in the Service Manual available at MA12.org/SM 

Concept for Service Ten: The integrity of our Service Structure depends on continued unity of Marijuana Anonymous Groups, Districts, and World Services through effective communication.

  • How does regular communication support the other Concepts for Service? 
  • Does the meeting/group maintain regular communication from the trusted servants, service boards, and committees that serve it, such as the DSC/RSC? MA World Services? 
    • How has this communication, or lack of it, affected your meeting/group? District/region?  How can it be improved? 
    • Does your group send a GSR to the DSC/RSC? Why or why not? 
  • Does the District have delegate(s) they send to the annual MA World Services’ business Conference to vote on agenda items and other important MA business matters? If not, why? 
  • Does your District’s delegate (or another trusted servant) report on MA World Services’ business throughout their one-year term? Prior to the Conference on Conference Agenda items? 
    • Is your group/meeting polled on Conference Agenda items prior to the MA World Service Conference (typically held at the end of May?) Does your District’s delegate report back to your group/meeting about the Conference and results of Conference Agenda Items?
  • Does your group share “pitch points” or other announcements at each meeting about District or Region business? About MA World Services business?
    • Announcements from MA World Services can be received directly through the newsletter “Carry the Message” Sign-up: MA12.org/CTM 
    • Do members of our group/meeting know about and how to register to attend the annual fellowship Convention? 
  • Are members of the group subscribed to the “A New Leaf,” MA’s monthly literary publication (which is now digital and free)? Are members of the group familiar with and subscribed to “Daily Dose” MA’s new daily e-mail with excerpts from MA’s daily reader “Living Every Day with Hope?”
    • MA12.org/New-Leaf and MA-Daily-Dose.org to subscribe & submit 
    • Do members of the group submit content and sobriety anniversaries to A New Leaf either directly, or through a District “ANLP Liaison” (formerly “ANLP Bureau Chief?”)

Concept for Service Eleven: Marijuana Anonymous’ funds and resources should be managed responsibly to ensure their most efficient use in carrying out the primary purpose of Marijuana Anonymous.

  • How are 7th Tradition contributions used in your group?
    • Does your group have standing budget priorities, or does it handle finances month-to-month?
    • Does the District/Region pay any group expenses, such as rent or Zoom fees? How does that affect whether your group adheres to this Concept for Service and/or the Traditions?
    • Does your group collect enough contributions to be self-supporting?
  • Are MA funds well accounted for in your group? If not, what kinds of financial reports would you like to see instead?
    • Do you know of instances where MA money has been spent frivolously at the group level? What was “frivolous” about the way that money was spent? How should it have been spent instead?
  • Does your group depend on MA fundraisers for a significant portion of its income? Is that wise? How does it affect your group’s relationship to the District/Region?

Concept for Service Twelve: The Marijuana Anonymous Service Structure should be one of selfless service and not of power or government, ensuring that the spiritual principles of the 12 Steps, 12 Traditions, and the warranties of Article 12 of the Conference Charter are always maintained.

  • What does “selfless service” mean?
  • What is it about MA’s primary purpose and its spiritual identity that says “our structure should always be one of service, never of government?” 
  • What spiritual concepts are utilized in our service structure?
  • Is your meeting/group’s service structure one of service, or one of government? What is the difference? 

Group Inventory Meeting Agenda

  • Open the meeting with a moment of silence to reflect on why everyone is here and what the body hopes to achieve.
  • Say a prayer, such as the Serenity Prayer, or have someone read MA’s 12 Concepts for Service, the 12 Steps & 12 Traditions. 
  • Have all in attendance introduce themselves. If they hold a service position within the meeting/group or district, state that position. 
    • Depending on the size of the group and number of questions you select to discuss during the meeting, you may want to set an amount of time for each member to speak to ensure everyone who wants to has a chance to talk.
  • Explain the overall inventory procedures and decide on participant’s rights, discuss some questions to answer ahead of time and then during the inventory
  • Be sure to ask before getting into the questions: Is there anything else anybody would like to bring to the group to add to our list of topics or questions? 
    • Feel free to use the sample inventory questions and whatever your group added at the preparation meeting so members can refer to it, and plan ahead of time what they’d like to say.
  • Review the pre-inventory questionnaire responses, you know your group best, and what issues it is facing (as well as its strengths) so be sure to include questions that speak to both the group’s strengths and weaknesses to have a balanced discussion.
  • Begin reviewing questions and calling on members to share their responses and opinions.When calling on members to speak, keep in order of raised your hands as much as possible, but allow members of the group the freedom to express their needs without getting too personal. Some things may come out that are uncomfortable for everyone. Try to keep the tone as loving as possible – don’t allow anything to get out of hand.
    • Remind members to place “principles before personalities” if it seems like the meeting is becoming heated, you might consider pausing for a moment and saying the serenity prayer together to “reset” and refocus the group.
  • Consider ensuring that those who haven’t spoken on an issue yet speak/are called on before members who have already spoken on that specific topic so that more voices can be heard. To ensure the minority opinion is heard, consider asking if anyone feels differently about something then calling on anyone who has their hand raised.
  • Your group has autonomy and discretion to choose the questions that will best facilitate a fruitful discussion, including questions drafted by group members.

Concluding the Group Inventory

After going through the determined group inventory questions, be sure that each person feels they have had a part in the discussion and been heard. Save time to go around the room and ask each person what they feel has been discovered during the inventory, how they feel about the discoveries, and any suggested solutions they have (without adopting any, but taking notes for a future meeting to make vote & adopt changes based on the inventory) 

This next part of the process is comparable to Steps 5 & 6: we acknowledge the things we found objectionable in our inventory, the defects we have found (Step 5), and become ready to bring everything to our Higher Power as manifested through the group conscience (Steps 6 & 7) when we then hold another meeting to bring motions, and come to an informed group conscience on making any changes.

Discuss each item listed from the group’s inventory. Remember, this is just about discussion and brainstorming, and not yet voting on changes. A separate business or group conscience meeting should be held after the group inventory meeting to vote on making any changes, giving members a chance to process and think about what was uncovered and discussed during the group inventory.

Following discussion on each item, the group should decide which issues are most urgent and necessary to bring to the next business meetings to vote on addressing using the group conscience. If there are a lot of things on the list, the group can vote on importance and which to bring to business meeting(s), addressing the most important issues (as voted on by the group) first.

Be sure to thank each person who attended, and close in the usual manner of the group. Schedule another business meeting, if there isn’t a regular one scheduled already, to make motions about any issues that came up during the Inventory