Our Basic Text already tells us that any addict is welcome in NA regardless of what we look like, how old we are, and what kind of spiritual beliefs we hold. Addiction is a disease that does not discriminate, and neither does the program of NA. Admittedly there is a stereotype of the "typical" candidate for NA - urban, criminal, a needle-user - and that narrow vision does describe some of us, but
we are also professionals, and parents, and students, and so on, living in cities, small towns, and rural communities in countries all over the world. We can only hope to gesture at our diversity in the space of one book. Even our name itself, NARCOTICS Anonymous may not fully describe our membership. Addiction has nothing to do with where we come from or the specific substances we used. We are not contained within political or geographic boundaries, nor are we limited by any individual differences in faith or philosophy. No matter what conflicts are unfolding in the world at large, we aspire to an ideal of unity: Our common welfare should come first. Our text explains that this unity of purpose helps us "to achieve the true spirit of anonymity" where all of us are equal as members of the group. With that as our foundation, we as individual recovering addicts are each able to find our own distinct voice and to sing a song that is uniquely ours. We hope the Sixth Edition Basic Text will offer a vision of recovery for addicts around the world - those who have already found the rooms of NA and those who will walk through our doors tomorrow. Over the years our fellowship has changed and our literature has expanded and been revised, but the message remains the same:
An addict, any addict, can stop using drugs, lose the desire to use, and find a new way to live. You are welcome here. Please stay and be part of our growth, change, and recovery.
