Tradition Three (Short): The only requirement for C.A. membership is a desire to stop using cocaine and all other mind-altering substances.
Tradition Three (Long): Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism (addiction). Hence we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought A.A. membership ever depend upon money or conformity. Any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an A.A. group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation. (A.A. 12&12:189)
Suggested Readings:
AA, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, P. 141
“…that we would neither punish nor deprive any A.A. of membership, that we must never compel anyone to pay anything, believe anything, or conform to anything…The answer, now seen in Tradition Three, was simplicity itself. At last experience taught us that to take away any alcoholic’s full chance was sometimes to pronounce his death sentence, and often to condemn him to endless misery. Who dared to be judge, jury, and executioner of his own sick brother?”
CA World Pamphlet (https://ca.org/literature/and-all-other-mind-altering-substances/)
“ At some point we finally realize that we cannot control our use of any mind-altering substances. The problem isn’t the drug of choice; the problem is the disease of addiction. With its Third Tradition and all-inclusive First Step, Cocaine Anonymous welcomes anyone with a drug or alcohol problem and offers a solution.
It means that it is the collective experience of the members of Cocaine Anonymous that addiction is a problem not limited to any one substance. It means that C.A.’s Twelve Steps are not drug-specific, and that Cocaine Anonymous is not a drug-specific fellowship. It means that it doesn’t matter to us if you drank or what type of drugs you used; if you have a desire to stop, you are welcome here!”
CAWSC Unity Committee Guidelines/Duties p.4
Diversity is not a source of weakness in our fellowship, but the source of strength.
Clarifying Questions and Answers:
Q: Who should our membership include? A: All who suffer from addiction.
Q: Who may we refuse membership? A: None who wish to recover.
Q: What ought we not depend on? A: Money or conformity.
Q: How many members are required before there can be an C.A. group? A: Two or more who gather for sobriety.
Q: Provided they do not do what? A: No other affiliation.
Questions for Discussion:
- Do I accept newcomers to Cocaine Anonymous unconditionally?
- Am I tolerant of a newcomer’s inexperience at sharing?
- Am I able to carry a CA message to any addict, despite race, religion, education, age, gender, sexual orientation, or social standing?
- Am I able to welcome all newcomers alike, no matter their status or profession?
- Do I understand that a newcomer’s desire to be sober need not be sincere or honest?
- Do I help make newcomers feel welcome by doing such things as
- … remembering their names and saying hello?
- … starting a conversation with them after the meeting?
- … giving them my telephone number?
- … offering them a ride to a meeting?
- … introducing them to other addicts?
- … inviting them out for coffee, etc., after the meeting?