Other Pamphlets

For The Newcomer

Updated May 25, 2025

At the 2025 Conference an update of this pamphlet was approved by the Conference Body in session. The content below is the updated version.

Welcome to Marijuana Anonymous!

This pamphlet is for those new to Marijuana Anonymous and those who are just curious to know more about us. All types of people have found themselves using marijuana/cannabis to the point where it is no longer fun or helpful. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions.

What is Marijuana Anonymous?

Founded in 1989, Marijuana Anonymous (MA) is a 12-Step program similar to Alcoholics Anonymous. We are a group of people who have problems that relate directly or indirectly to marijuana, and we support each other in recovery. In MA, the terms marijuana and cannabis are often used interchangeably. Our goal is to have a comfortable environment where anyone can share openly.

Am I a marijuana addict?

No one can decide that for you; only you can make that decision. If you find yourself thinking about marijuana even when you are not using it or have struggled to stop, we encourage you to read the Twelve Questions in this pamphlet. Also, many of us have found that attending meetings helped us to decide.

How can MA membership help me?

Participating in the fellowship of MA can help you accomplish what you could not do alone. It provides an opportunity to connect with others who share similar experiences. MA has led many of us to a greater understanding of ourselves and the causes of addiction. We find hope as we see others recovering from our common problem.

What happens at an MA meeting?

Meetings vary in format (speaker meetings, topic, or literature-based). Most meetings begin with a series of readings that explain the program. There may be introductions and acknowledgements of sobriety. Then, people have the opportunity to share about their difficulties with marijuana and what they are doing to recover. We find it helpful to verbalize with others what we are experiencing.

What is the program of recovery?

The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions are the foundation of our program of recovery from marijuana addiction. The Steps are a series of suggestions that guide us in our sobriety. To work this program, we attend meetings, connect with other members, and work the Steps with a sponsor. For more information on the Twelve Traditions, please read the Introduction to Marijuana Anonymous pamphlet.

What is a sponsor and how do I get one?

A sponsor is a fellow addict with a working knowledge of the Twelve Steps who guides you through recovery by sharing their experience, strength, and hope. Sponsors are usually found by attending meetings. We recommend reaching out to someone who inspires you and with whom you would like to work the program. While there are no set rules, as a guideline, we suggest avoiding anyone with whom there is a possibility of a romantic or physical relationship. For more information, please read the About Sponsorship pamphlet.

If I join MA will I need to stop drinking or using other drugs?

We cannot tell you how to recover. The only requirement for MA membership is a desire to stop using marijuana. We have found, however, that recovery requires us to examine our relationship with other drugs, including alcohol.

How much does MA membership cost?

Nothing. There are no dues or fees. MA is completely self-supporting. MA meetings pay their bills through the voluntary contributions of members. A basket is passed at in-person meetings. Donations to virtual meetings are made through PayPal, Venmo or other digital payment methods.

What commitments do I make by attending an MA meeting?

None. Our program is voluntary. The only thing you need to begin participating is a desire to stop using marijuana. In MA, everything is only a suggestion.

Is MA a religious organization and is there much talk about God?

While the term God is heard in many meetings, MA is not connected with any religious organization or denomination. It is a spiritual program that recognizes the need for a power greater than ourselves as a tool for recovery. There are members who call this power God or Higher Power. Others say it is the strength, wisdom, and connection found in meetings.

What happens if I see people I know in MA?

If you see people you know, they are there for the same reason you are and will respect your anonymity. Who we see and what we hear in meetings is not mentioned outside of the meetings. Membership in MA is confidential and anonymous whether in person or online.

Is there a cure for marijuana addiction?

Those of us in Marijuana Anonymous have found in our experience that there is no cure for marijuana addiction. We manage the addiction by working the program. MA’s message is one of hope and promise that you can stop using marijuana and lose the obsession one day at a time.

Attend a meeting and see for yourself what Marijuana Anonymous is all about. We were all newcomers once.

The Twelve Questions of Marijuana Anonymous

The following questions may help you determine whether marijuana is a problem in your life.

Has using marijuana stopped being fun?
Do you ever get high alone?
Is it hard for you to imagine a life without marijuana?
Do you find that your friends are determined by your marijuana use?
Do you use marijuana to avoid dealing with your problems or to cope with your feelings?
Has your marijuana use led to financial difficulties and/or legal consequences?
Does your marijuana use let you live in a privately defined world?
Have you ever failed to keep promises you made about cutting down or controlling your use of marijuana?
Has your use of marijuana caused problems with your health, memory, concentration, or motivation?
When your stash is nearly empty, do you feel anxious or worried about how to get more?
Do you plan your life around your marijuana use?
Have friends or relatives ever complained that your using is damaging your relationship with them?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you may have a problem with marijuana.

The Twelve Steps of Marijuana Anonymous

We admitted we were powerless over marijuana, that our lives had become unmanageable.
Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understood God.
Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.
Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
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.
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.