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 our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.
“Reprinted
with permission of A.A. World Service, Inc.”