The Nicotine Anonymous Quarterly SEVEN Minutes A Forum for Nicotine Users Who Don’t Use Volume XII 2001 Number. 2 In This Issue The Impossible Dream Gary M., San Clemente, CA 1 The Impossible Dream, “Quitting was almost always with a total disbelief that by Gary M. there could be life after nicotine.” Nicotine Anonymous, The Book 3 From the Chair, very terrifying proposition. After count- the 800 number and talked to Mary D. in Kent B. A less attempts to quit and failing count- Orange County for a long time. Here was less times, I felt I was down for the count. someone I identified with that was talking 4 I was dying . literally, and I knew it. So my language—fears, hope and under- Conference Wrap-up, what? The hell with it? I resolved to myself standing and giving me the courage to try Scott J., I can’t quit and I am just a worthless loser— it. It was my last chance—the last building Chair Emeritus so who cares? Why can everyone else quit on the block—it was now or never. If I and I can’t What the hell is wrong with me? didn’t quit when I did I really believe I 6 I am hooked on these cigarettes and can’t would have been dead within “Life, Liberty and do anything about it. My self-worth was 30 days or less. I really Recovery,” about a minus-20. I wanted to quit but I believe that! the 2002 Conference had failed so many times I could not I went to ten straight meet- in Brooklyn, NY stand another failure! ings in a row and quit at the I’ve thought many times about eleventh meeting. That was quitting and what it would be November 21, 1998. What 7 like but I came to the point made me quit? The support of Letter from the Editor, that it was absolutely the groups. Seeing different levels Catherine C. impossible to quit, I of being smoke-free: 2 days, 28 days, didn’t dare entertain 4 months, 1 year, 2 years, etc. Laughing, 8 the thought anymore. crying, being grateful, giving hope, hope A Letter To My Cigarettes, I’d been told by doc- and more hope. I found a support system, Cathi A. tors I’d die of a mas- something I’ve been looking for for a long sive heart attack. I’ve time. Hands reaching out—come on, you got emphysema, asthma and my lower can do it—we will help you. Yes, it is tough, 8 right lung is gone and if I didn’t quit smok- but you will get through it. The hope that The NAWS Year-end ing I’d be on oxygen. I put myself in the there is life without cigarettes. The hope you Financials, hospital three different times and I still will enjoy it and better yet, the hope of free- Annette L., Treasurer wouldn’t quit smoking. It was too hard. I’d dom at last, of being free of cigarettes. rather die. Who am I kidding? A false That I am a living miracle and can attest 9 bravado. I was scared, petrified so I just to this with 1 year, 10 months and 20 days The NicA Conference, smoked more to hide my fears. (at the time of this writing) of being com- Ani M. Thank God my doctor gave me the 800 pletely smoke free. number to Nicotine Anonymous. I called The impossible dream came true. Send letters to the editor, articles, Our Preamble stories, poems, artwork, or other Nicotine Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women help- material for Seven Minutes to: ing each other to live our lives free of nicotine. We share our Seven Minutes experience, strength and hope with each other so that we may c/o NAWSO be free from this powerful addiction. The only requirement for 419 Main St., PMB #370 membership is the desire to stop using nicotine. There are no Huntington Beach, CA 92648 dues or fees for Nicotine Anonymous membership; we are self- supporting through our own contributions. Nicotine Anony- Subscription requests, circulation mous is not allied with any sect, denomination, political additions and deletions may be sent entity, organization or institution; does not engage in any to the same address. controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any cause. Our pri- Material may also be sent mary purpose is to offer support to those who are trying to by e-mail to: gain freedom from nicotine. <[email protected]> Reprinted for adaptation with permission of the A.A. Grapevine All articles accepted for publication may be reprinted in outside NAWS Has Moved! publications in their entirety at the Nicotine Anonymous World Services discretion of the chair and editor. 419 Main St., PMB #370 Your trusted servants, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 Donna E., Publisher Catherine C., Editor Joe S., Subscriptions, distribution Phone: 866/536-4539 / Fax: 714/969-4493 The Twelve Steps of Nicotine Anonymous 1. We admitted we were powerless over nicotine— The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous that our lives had become unmanageable. 1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives 2. Came to believe that a Power greater than our- had become unmanageable. selves could restore us to sanity. 2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. 3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over 3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the to the care of God, as we understood Him. care of God, as we understood Him. 4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of 4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. ourselves. 5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being 5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another the exact nature of our wrongs. 6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of human being the exact nature of our wrongs. character. 6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these 7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. defects of character. 8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became will- 7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. ing to make amends to them all. 8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and 9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. became willing to make amends to them all. 10. Continued to take personal inventory, and when we were 9. Made direct amends to such people wherever pos- wrong, promptly admitted it. sible, except when to do so would injure them or 11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our con- others. scious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only 10. Continued to take personal inventory, and when for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry it out. 12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we were wrong, promptly admitted it. we tried to carry this message to other alcoholics and to 11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve practice these principles in all our affairs. our conscious contact with God as we understood The Twelve Steps reprinted and adapted here with the permission of Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. Permission to reprint and and the power to carry it out. adapt the Twelve Steps does not mean that A.A. is affiliated with this 12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of program. A.A. is a program of recovery from alcoholism—use of the Twelve Steps in connection with programs and activities which are these steps, we tried to carry this message to other patterned after A.A., but which address other problems, does not nicotine users and to practice these principles in all imply otherwise. The original Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous our affairs. are reprinted above. 2 I Seven Minutes From the Chair . Kent B., Phoenix, Arizona y name is Kent B., and I’m zona home group meeting one I was humbled to be asked to Ma nicotine addict. Saturday evening, making a pot perform any form of service, The first time I heard myself of coffee, or putting literature small or large, and to leave the say those words aloud, I didn’t on a table, I did what I felt was results of that service to my really know their meaning. I safe and comfortable. Someone Higher Power. thought I just had a bad smok- called it “service to the still suf- Service is intentionally the last ing habit that I wanted some fering addict.” It felt rewarding of the Twelve Steps, my sponsor help to break. I had tried so to do something that someone reminds me, because there’s many times to “just say no” to else found useful, but I wasn’t much personal repair work to be cigarettes, even took a quit- really saving any lives! So I done in preparation to be of smoking class and underwent a moved along to volunteering to much use to others (including series of special injections. After read the Steps or the dispelling that grandiose all, what was so difficult about Traditions, and notion that it is I, and ending an unwanted bad habit? later, to chair the only I, who can As I sat through a few more entire meeting.