What is Marijuana Anonymous District 12?

Updated

Marijuana Anonymous District 12 is the local service body of the Marijuana Anonymous (MA) fellowship covering Marin and Sonoma Counties in California. It exists to connect people who want to stop using marijuana with 12-step meetings and related support. If you are looking for a meeting in that area, or want to know how MA works before attending, this district's site is the starting point.

What the organization is

Marijuana Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other to solve their common problem and help others recover from marijuana addiction. District 12 is the geographic unit that organizes and supports the weekly meetings in Marin and Sonoma Counties.

Key facts about membership, as stated by the district:

  • The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using marijuana.
  • There are no dues or fees for membership.
  • MA is self-supporting through members' own contributions.
  • MA is not affiliated with any religious or secular institution or organization and takes no position on outside controversies or causes.
  • The primary purpose is to stay free of marijuana and help other marijuana addicts achieve the same freedom.

The program uses the basic 12 Steps of Recovery founded by Alcoholics Anonymous, on the basis that the 12-step approach has been proven to work.

What the site offers

The district site is mainly a directory and information hub. Its pages include:

Page What it's for
Home Overview of the district and its purpose
Meetings Checking the status of a meeting near you
Events District activities and gatherings
FAQs Common questions about MA
How It Works Explanation of the 12-step program
Literature MA-approved reading
Media Audio and other media resources
Contact Reaching the district directly

The site also notes that MA World Services offers online meetings through its own meeting finder, so people outside Marin and Sonoma — or anyone who prefers online attendance — have that option.

Meetings and district service

District 12 has meetings on many days of the week. Beyond the regular 12-step meetings, there is a monthly District 12 meeting where Group Service Representatives (GSRs) from each weekly meeting gather to decide how best to serve those meetings.

  • District meeting time: second Tuesday of every month at 5:45 PM PST.
  • Format: currently virtual only, held via Zoom.
  • Zoom meeting number: 876 1445 2808.
  • Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87614452808

The district describes service — whether at a weekly meeting or the monthly district meeting — as a key part of staying clean from marijuana, and frames meetings and service as ways to counter the isolation that addicts tend toward.

Other ways to connect

  • Phone meetings: the district points to ma-phone.org for marijuana anonymous phone meetings, and suggests posting the ma-phone.org flyer in local hang-out spots.
  • Text or call: 707-861-8168, listed for Marin and Sonoma Counties.
  • Email: the site has an email contact form.
  • LGBTQ outreach: the site notes an MA World Services LGBTQ Outreach Committee is forming.

Who this is for

This district is relevant if you live in or near Marin or Sonoma Counties and want an in-person or local 12-step meeting for marijuana addiction, or if you want to do service at the district level. If you are outside that area, or want meetings at any hour, the MA World Services online meeting finder is the better first stop. The district meeting itself is open to all recovering potheads, per the site.