Can we "practice these principles" AND be a smoker?

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Expand view Topic review: Can we "practice these principles" AND be a smoker?

Re: Can we "practice these principles" AND be a smoker?

Post by Eugene » Sun Oct 30, 2011 12:25 pm

Don't judge anyone for their recovery where their at is none of your spiritual business

Re: Can we "practice these principles" AND be a smoker?

Post by ladybug1 » Thu Sep 29, 2011 11:11 am

One addiction at time.

Re: Can we "practice these principles" AND be a smoker?

Post by robertoZ » Tue Sep 20, 2011 7:21 am

To thine own self be true.

Re: Can we "practice these principles" AND be a smoker?

Post by Rainspa » Mon Sep 19, 2011 11:57 am

According to the Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, p.84, chapter "Into Action"

Love and tolerance of others is our code. :D

Re: Can we "practice these principles" AND be a smoker?

Post by Rainspa » Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:17 am

If smoking bothers you, then you might consider quitting. :D

Re: Can we "practice these principles" AND be a smoker?

Post by robertoZ » Sun Sep 18, 2011 10:33 pm

Thank you for your thoughtfulness. I've been around long enough to know how dangerous are resentments. But one cannot be reminded too often. Of course, nobody is perfect. And, I'm certainly not searching for other's imperfections, smokers are readily apparent outside many meetings. It sounds like you are saying one can do other drugs as long as they're legal and still be sober. In fact, one can be addicted to them and be sober? I'm sure that's not what you mean.

Re: Can we "practice these principles" AND be a smoker?

Post by Rainspa » Sat Sep 17, 2011 5:45 pm

None of the people in the program are perfect.
Searching for imperfections in others: smoking, being of the wrong/ different/ unacceptable religions/ views / behaviors is a sure way to resentment.
Because you WILL find imperfections.

Focusing on other's faults will keep any alcoholic from working on their own. That's why you will hear people say "Work on your own 4th Step".

Here's the test for sobriety: Are you drinking Alcohol?

If the behavior of others is troubling to you, it might be time to look into Al-Anon or CODA. They are very helpful and welcoming.

Re: Can we "practice these principles" AND be a smoker?

Post by robertoZ » Fri Sep 16, 2011 10:12 am

Thanks for your thoughts. I understand that our singleness of purpose is recovery from alcoholism. I guess I'm just confused when I see someone with some time share at a meeting about their spiritual program keeping them sober and then seeing the same person pulling down a Marlboro outside. Yes, they ain't drinking, but are they sober? Might smoking increase the odds of returning to a drink? I don't know, but if I smoked, I'd be researching.

Re: Can we "practice these principles" AND be a smoker?

Post by Rainspa » Fri Sep 16, 2011 2:31 am

There is a 12 step program for smoking, but it's not AA :D
Like most people at the time the founders of AA smoked and so did a lot of the members. Being addicted to nicotine, food, sex, debt, controling other people, avoiding a fit lifestyle and poor nutrition can be exacerbated by, or co-exist with alcoholism.

For most of us, getting sober by working the 12 steps of AA is the first priority in our lives. Sometimes other problems are worked on sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.

In AA we have a singleness of purpose: to help the Alcoholic recover from Alcoholism. What and when people work on other problems we leave up to them. :)

Re: Can we "practice these principles" AND be a smoker?

Post by kaylafay » Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:55 am

Personally, I think that any step in the right direction is a good step. What I mean to say is that we have to take this journey one step at a time, and if that means that some of us need to focus on quitting the drinking before we tackle the smoking then so be it. I'm hoping to quit smoking and I know I can do it because the bulk of my smoking came from drinking. When I drank, I just stayed smoking the whole night. How gross!
I think for some people its just too much to quit both at one time.

Can we "practice these principles" AND be a smoker?

Post by robertoZ » Wed Sep 14, 2011 9:46 pm

I've been to tons of meetings where I see that attendees are crowded outside smoking cigarettes before, after, and during the break. I wonder how smokers in recovery from one addiction can so readily engage in another. Seems like a contradiction. How can one "practice these principles in all our affairs" and still smoke? It's just as unhealthy and will eventually kill the addict.

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