A district or region is a geographically or virtually defined unit containing a number of meetings generally limited by some type of boundaries although there are also non-geographic districts.
Visit the District Directory to find a District near you.
The difference between a district and a region, is that regions are in the developmental stage of becoming a district, which requires formal recognition at the annual MA World Service Conference. Each district elects up to two delegates and an alternate to represent that district’s group conscience during the Conference which is typically held over Memorial Day weekend. Throughout the delegate’s one-year term, they serve as liaison between MA World Services and the district. Regions are welcome to send representatives to conferences, but their representatives do not have voting privileges.
A district exists to serve the meetings and groups that exist within the district. Services often include: purchase and distribution of chips, printing and distribution of literature, public information with meeting schedules, community outreach, and collection and distribution of monies to MA World Services. In addition, the districts provides assistance to individual meetings in need of help, coordinates district-wide events, and helps locate speakers.
The District / Region Service Committee Meeting
Each district typically has a Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Chairpersons for subcommittees such as Hospitals and Institutions (H&I), Public Information (PI), Literature, Correspondence, Chips, and Events. The DSC/RSC meeting is where all the business of the district / region is discussed, all subcommittee reports are given, and all problems are addressed. The meeting is open to all MA members.
District Level Service Positions
A number of officers and committee chairpersons are elected at the DSC meeting to carry out business. District Service Committee Officers are responsible for administering the general business of the district. Great care should be taken in selecting the people who serve in the capacity of Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer. The DSC officers should have at least one year clean and sober time, significant District Service Committee background, and a working knowledge of the Steps, Traditions, and Concepts. The suggested length of term is one year. Our trusted servants should demonstrate the ability to serve as an example to others.
Group Service Representative (GSR)
The GSR represents the voice of the group conscience, reporting the group’s wishes and ideas to the District Service Committee (DSC) meeting. The GSR also reports DSC meeting activities back to the group. The GSR needs the confidence of the group and should have a good ear for listening. The GSR is in a position to determine the group conscience and is the voice for communicating the conscience of their group to the rest of MA. The GSR has the job of linking their group with the local District/Region and MA as a whole. After a few months of gaining experience, the GSR may also choose to be on one of the District/Region committees to help serve MA. It is from this group of a District’s Trusted Servants that Conference Delegates are usually selected. Suggested clean/sober time is six months to serve as a GSR. Length of term is usually one year.
Typical responsibilities of the GSR include:
- Report the group’s wishes to the monthly DSC/RSC, and to delegates attending the MA World Service Conference
- Attend the monthly DSC/RSC meeting, take notes and report back to the group, keeping it well informed
- Report to the group the content of the Trustees’ quarterly summary, MA World Services financial reports, and minutes of the Conference, as well as DSC/RSCbusiness and activities
- Keep reports concise (opinions can be discussed at the group’s business meetings)
- Confirm and/or bring group contributions from the Treasurer to the DSC/RSC
- Confirm that adequate supplies of tokens and MA literature are available for the Group
- Act as a “Service Sponsor” for incoming GSRs when their term is done
- Make certain that the alternate GSR attends the DSC/RSC in the event the GSR cannot attend
Chairperson
The Chairperson’s primary responsibility is conducting the DSC meeting. This includes preparing the agenda, rationing the time for the various reports, and keeping order. A copy of a suggested DSC Meeting Format and the short-form of “Rules of Order as adapted for Marijuana Anonymous” can be found in the MA Service Manual. Both of these documents can be of great assistance to the district Chairperson.
Typical responsibilities of the Chairperson:
- Make sure the meeting begins and ends on time.
- Make sure all DSC/RSC commitments are filled.
- Make sure the next DSC/RSC meeting is scheduled and all participants are aware of the time and location.
- Keep meeting format and minutes of all past DSC/RSC meetings.
Vice Chairperson
The Vice Chairperson is responsible for assisting the Chairperson in conducting DSC/RSC meetings, and for conducting the meeting in the Chairperson’s absence. The Vice Chairperson can also be of assistance in helping to administer the business of the District / Region outside of the DSC/RSC meeting by assisting the subcommittee chairpersons with their responsibilities, and by informing the group secretaries of the chronic absence of their group’s GSR. This ensures that all meetings are properly represented and that the individual meetings are up to date on the business in their districts / regions.
Treasurer
The Treasurer’s job is to handle all the district’s / region’s money. It is therefore important that districts / regions select their Treasurer with care. The Treasurer should be someone who is financially secure, good at managing finances, and has a suggested minimum of one year clean and sober. Experience in business, bookkeeping, banking, or accounting is also helpful but not required. In administering the district / region checking account, two signatures are suggested to issue a check. This precaution protects the district / region from theft, and the Treasurer from controversy. It is also suggested that three signatures be on the bank’s signature card in the event that one person becomes unavailable for any reason.
Typical duties of the Treasurer include:
- Receive contributions from the meetings.
- Administer the district’s / region’s checking account.
- Pay the rent for the DSC/RSC meeting location.
- Reimburse approved expenses to officers and subcommittee chairpersons.
- Keep records of all transactions and promptly make out receipts whenever necessary.
- Report on the financial condition of the district / region at each meeting.
- Comply with all MAWS requirements.
- Create and organize a Budget and Finance Subcommittee with regular meetings as needed.
- A more detailed description of the Treasurer’s job can be found in the “Guidelines for District / Region Treasurer”, located in Chapter 9 of the Service Manual.
Literature
The Literature subcommittee maintains a stock of MA literature that is distributed to the meetings at the DSC/RSC meeting. This subcommittee also creates new literature to be presented to the DSC/RSC meeting participants for approval. Literature can also be submitted to the MA World Services Literature Committee for their review, and ultimately for submission to the members of the annual conference body for approval.
Secretary
The Secretary’s primary responsibility is to handle all of the district’s / region’s non-financial paperwork. The most important task is to record clear and accurate minutes of each DSC/RSC meeting. Some DSC/RSCs distribute minutes to all the participants, while other districts / regions may choose to merely read the minutes of the last meeting at the beginning of each DSC/RSC meeting. It is also suggested that each secretary compile a log of all motions that have passed at all DSC/RSC meetings. These motions should be listed in chronological order under a heading for each officer, subcommittee, or other topic they affect.
Delegates
Each district elects two Delegates and an alternate(s) whose primary responsibility is to represent the conscience of the district’s meetings to MA World Services. The Third Legacy Procedure found in the Service Manual should be used to elect Delegates. Visit the MA Conference website for more information about the year-long responsibilities of Delegates
A New Leaf Publications (ANLP) Liaison
District ANLP Liaisons (formerly “Bureau Chiefs”) solicit member content to submit for possible publication in A New Leaf, including sobriety birthdays/anniversaries, share ANLP service opportunities, events and news, solicit member feedback on how ANLP can best fulfill its purpose of carrying the message through the publication and distribution of MA literature worldwide, and facilitate communication with Districts and their members. Visit the ANLP website for more information
District Subcommittees
Hospitals and Institutions
The Hospitals and Institutions (H&I) subcommittee conducts panels and meetings that bring MA to marijuana addicts who have no other way of hearing our message. These addicts may be located at treatment centers, recovery houses, mental health facilities, chemical dependency units, prisons, or other institutions. The amount of work an H&I subcommittee does will depend on a variety of factors, including: the number of treatment facilities in the district / region, the number of MA members interested in participating in H&I service, and the amount of collective experience of those members.
H&I responsibilities often overlap those of the Public Information (PI) subcommittee. H&I and PI can cooperate with one another, and a liaison of each subcommittee may want to attend the other subcommittee’s meetings. The H&I Handbook explains more about how to conduct panels, interact with facility administrators, and organize subcommittee work. Contact the World Services H&I Trustee for the latest Handbook version.
Considering the shared primary purpose of MA at all levels, ‘to carry its message to the marijuana addict who still suffers,’ membership in the World Services level PI/H&I Committees may prove particularly valuable for District / Region chairs of this subcommittee. While gathering, combining, and disseminating PI/H&I ideas and efforts is a primary responsibility of the MAWS PI/H&I Trustees, district / region membership on this committee may significantly enhance the productivity of that committee to the benefit of all in our efforts to honor the Fifth Tradition.
Public Information
The Public Information subcommittee informs addicts and others in the community about the MA program of recovery. Many PI projects serve primarily to encourage people to write or call MA for more information about meetings. Dispersing this information can take on various forms, such as: distributing flyers, mass mailings, announcements in the self-help sections of local newspapers, and public service radio announcements, to name a few. The PI Handbook provides guidance about how to coordinate this type of service work, and can be downloaded on the Service Manual/Handbooks webpage.
Newcomer Support
The Newcomer Support subcommittee maintains the district / region phone line, PO Box, email account, and other communications from addicts or the community at large. It must be remembered that the first contact the outside world has with MA is often with a member of the correspondence subcommittee.
Events
Dances, picnics, campouts, and special speaker meetings are but a few of the events put on by this subcommittee. Activities like these both provide a greater sense of belonging and camaraderie among MA members, and produce additional district / region income. It should be kept in mind that these activities are designed to enhance MA’s primary purpose of carrying the message to the marijuana addict who still suffers, and do not replace meetings. Fundraising should not take the place of meeting contributions in funding the District / Region, but rather supplement these contributions. For the World Services policies regarding events and fundraising, refer to the Service Manual.
Chips
This subcommittee usually consists of one person. The responsibility of this person is to maintain an accurate inventory of chips possessed by the district / region, as well as to distribute chips to the meetings. The Chips person must remember to order chips so that the district / region will always have a sufficient supply for its meetings. For a list of authorized chip vendors, visit MA12.org/tokens
For assistance with becoming a region contact the Outreach Trustee at [email protected]
Once having operated as a region, for assistance with applying to become a district, contact the Conference Agenda Committee at [email protected].