The 12 Traditions

Our group experience suggests that the unity of Co-Anon Family Groups depends on our adherence to these Traditions.

1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on Co-Anon 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 membership is that there is a problem with cocaine and all other mind-altering substances in a relative or friend. The relatives and friends of such, when gathered together for mutual help, may call themselves a Co-Anon Family Group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation.

4. Each group should be autonomous, except in matters affecting another group, Co-Anon Family Groups or Cocaine Anonymous as a whole.

5. Each Co-Anon Family Group has but one purpose: to help the family of addicts. We do this by practicing the Twelve Steps of Cocaine Anonymous ourselves, by understanding addiction, and by carrying the message of hope and personal recovery to the family and friends of someone addicted to cocaine or other mind-altering substances.

6. Our Co-Anon Family Groups ought never endorse, finance or lend our name to any outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose. Although a separate entity, we should always cooperate with Cocaine Anonymous.

7. Every group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.

8. Co-Anon Family Groups should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.

9. Co-Anon Family Groups, as such, ought never be organized, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

10. The Co-Anon Family Groups have no opinions on outside issues: hence our 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, TV and films. We need to guard with special care the anonymity of all Cocaine Anonymous members.

12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles above personalities.

The Twelve Traditions are reprinted with permission of Cocaine Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. Permission to reprint and adapt the Twelve Traditions does not mean that A.A. is affiliated with this program. A.A. is a program of recovery from alcoholism. Use of the Traditions in connection with programs and activities which are patterned after A.A., but which address other problems, does not imply otherwise.

The Co-Anon Family Groups World Service Board shall use its best efforts to insure that these Twelve Traditions are maintained, for it is regarded by the fellowship of  Co-Anon Family Groups as the custodian of these Traditions and accordingly, it shall not identify itself nor, so far as it is within its power to do so, permit others to modify, alter, or amplify these Traditions.

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In the spirit of Tradition Six, Co-Anon Family Groups is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution.