Crystal Meth Anonymous

Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA) is a 12-step based fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other, so they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from addiction to crystal meth. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using. There are no dues or fees for CMA membership. It is self-supporting through its own contributions. CMA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; it does not wish to engage in any controversy; and neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Its primary purpose is to lead a sober life and carry the message of recovery to the crystal meth addict who still suffers.^[1]

History and demographics

CMA was founded on September 16, 1994 in West Hollywood, California. The first group held its first meeting at the West Hollywood Alcohol and Drug Center, then located on Santa Monica Blvd.^[2] CMA now has a presence in over 100 metropolitan areas of the United States, as well as parts of the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.^[3] The first CMA World Service Conference was held in Park City, Utah from October 17–19, 2008.^[4] At that convention, the CMA Charter was adopted.^[5] Most members use the basic text of Alcoholic's Anonymous' "Big Book" as a guide for recovery. At the first General Service Conference, the delegates unanimously adopted the following statement; "The Fellowship of Crystal Meth Anonymous works a Twelve Step program of recovery. We have not felt the need to elaborate in great detail a specific CMA approach to the Twelve Steps: too many other excellent outlines already exist for following these spiritual principles. But our experience has shown that without the Steps we could not stay sober."^[6]

In 2002, the United States Department of Health and Human Services estimated 12 million people, age 12 and over, had used methamphetamine—600,000 of which were estimated to be current users—with a growth rate of approximately 300,000 new users per year (reference no longer available). In 2005, a Los Angeles clinic estimated that one out of three gay or bisexual HIV-positive men admitted to using methamphetamine.^[7] Methamphetamine may lower inhibitions, increasing the likelihood of engaging in unprotected sex and sharing needles.^[8] In large metropolitan areas, such as Atlanta, Chicago, Miami and Washington, DC, many CMA groups are designated as "gay/lesbian" reflecting the use of methamphetamine in urban gay communities.^[9] As CMA grew, the growth of meeting spread to large non-gay/lesbian communities such as Phoenix, AZ and Minneapolis, MN.

Effectiveness

A self-selected study limited to men who had sex with other men, used meth, and attended CMA,^[10] showed that, after three months of participation in CMA, members reported their number of sexual partners had dropped from seven to less than one and self-reports of unprotected anal intercourse when using methamphetamine dropped by two-thirds. In a six month follow up, 64% had remained abstinent from methamphetamine while an additional 20% had used only once.^[9][11]

Literature

• Crystal Clear: Stories of Hope (February 2011). Crystal Clear: Stories of Hope (2nd ed.). Crystal Meth Anonymous, Inc. 
• Alcoholics Anonymous (February 2002). Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of how Many Thousands of Men and Women have Recovered from Alcoholism (4th ed.). Alcoholics Anonymous World Services. ISBN 1-893007-16-2. OCLC 2353981. 
• Alcoholics Anonymous (2002-02-10). Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services. ISBN 0-916856-01-1. OCLC 13572433. 

See also

• Addiction recovery groups
• List of twelve-step groups

References

Further reading

• Donovan, D. M., & Wells, E. A. (April 2007). "'Tweaking 12-Step': The potential role of 12-Step self-help group involvement in methamphetamine recovery". Addiction 102 (Suppl 1): 121–129. doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.01773.x. PMID 17493061.  Cite uses deprecated parameters (help)
• Lewis, J. R., Boyle, D. P., Lewis, L. S., & Evans, M. (January 2000). "Reducing AIDS and substance abuse risk factors among homeless, HIV-infected, drug-using persons". Research on Social Work Practice 10 (1): 15–33.  Cite uses deprecated parameters (help)
• Lewis, T. F., II. (2004). "Walking Down the Twelve Steps with Crystal Meth". Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions 4 (4): 127–130. doi:10.1300/J160v04n04_09. 

External links

• CMA World Service website