12 Traditions


	The 12 Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous
1.	Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A. A. unity.
2.	For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority — a loving God as He may express Himself in our
	group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
3.	The only requirement for A .A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.
4.	Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A. A. as a whole.
5.	Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
6.	An A. A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the A. A. name to any related facility or outside
	enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
7.	Every A. A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
8.	Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special
	workers.
9.	A. A. as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly
	responsible to those they serve.
10.	Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A. A. name ought never be drawn into
	public controversy.
11.	Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal
	anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.
12.	Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before
	personalities.

	Reprinted from Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 564, third edition, with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.

The 12 Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous