Crystal Meth Anonymous

One would hope, when developing a CMA related website, that we start our project by reading and knowing the 12-traditions and 12-Concepts of CMA, starting with tradition #1, "Our common welfare should come first". We should remember, that even though local groups are autonomous, each CMA local website is still seen by the public and professional as the word of CMA. So it is for our "common welfare" that we express the same message across the World Wide Web. Also the old saying applys here, "If we can't follow direction, we shouldn't ask for it."

As one looks at other related local CMA websites, it may be noticed that many of them claim that CMA is a 12-step Program. This is an common error as Crystal Meth Anonymous is a fellowship. To help us work the Twelve Steps, Crystal Meth Anonymous uses a text entitled Alcoholics Anonymous, commonly referred to as "the Big Book." When studying this text, some of us find it useful to substitute the word "addict" for "alcohol" and the word "using" for "drinking."

How do we set up a local CMA Website?
Decisions in the Fellowship of Crystal Meth Anonymous are usually made through an informed group conscience and the decision to post a web page/website is no different. Whether an area or district, central office or Intergroup our CMA experience suggests forming a committee to discuss all aspects of setting up a website, including all possible concerns about the Traditions.

Early on, it is important to agree upon a method for gathering the group conscience of the local CMA fellowship, and to inform local groups, districts, areas and central/Intergroup offices (if affected) about the committee's progress. When the committee has reached a consensus, its findings are shared with the whole group (district, area, etc.) and a decision is made through an informed group conscience vote. It is then that the actual work on the website should begin. It is helpful to remember that there is no need to let the speed of this technology dictate, the speed of our actions. Technical questions regarding this communication method will need to be answered by experts in that field.

Who is responsible for a website?
A thoughtful and informed group conscience is encouraged to be responsible for deciding the contents, policy and procedures involved in setting up and maintaining a website. It has been suggested that a webmaster (web manager) be appointed or elected to serve as a trusted servant, responsible to the committee or groups served. This can be an arduous task if the webmaster is responsible for updating local meeting information. Others may learn how to assist the webmaster to assist in this commitment.

How do we select a domain name for our website?
What you choose for your domain name should, again, be determined by the group conscience. To preserve Crystal Meth Anonymous' trademarks and service marks, individuals and CMA groups are asked to avoid using the name "Crystal Meth Anonymous" in the domain name. It has been our experience that many service entities have integrated lower case "cma" into their domain name along with other identifying information (e.g. www.pacificareacma.org or http://www.nycma.org/). It is also wist not to use words like "district" in your URL, unless you are one. A District is made up of one or more Intergroups.

What CMA information is suitable for a website?
Again, the group conscience will determine the contents. However, we do not post face pictures of people; not our faces, not the faces of others affected by crystal meth addiction.

Copyright restrictions apply to material displayed on a website - just as copyrights protect CMA literature. Permission must be obtained from the CMA GSO prior to including CMA's materials on your website. However, websites created by CMA areas, districts and central/Intergroup offices are permitted to quote a phrase, sentence or brief paragraph excerpted from CMA literature - such as the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions and Conference approved pamphlets - without a prior, written request to do so. When this occurs, the proper credit line should be included to ensure that the copyrights of CMA literature are protected. After a quotation from a book or pamphlet, the credit line should read: "Reprinted from (name of publication, page number), with permission of CMA World Services, Inc."

'Reprinted with permission of Crystal Meth Anonymous.' If you wish to include items on your website that are currently available on the CMA GSO website, we suggest that you link to the appropriate pages of crystalmeth.org. Pull the material directly from crystalmeth.org, not locally. This way you will be presenting the CMA GSC approved materials.

'Reprinted with permission of Alcoholics Anonymous.' The 12-Steps of CMA are adapted with permission of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and proper notification of permission must be expressed.

Again, aside from websites created by CMA areas, districts and Intergroups/central offices, all others wishing to include CMA material on their websites must request permission from the CMA GSO to do so.

Can our group publish other groups' literature on our website?
Again, the group conscience will determine the contents. However non-approved literature is the same thing as placing literature from other 12-step groups or other for-profit groups on a website. Placing someone else's literature on your groups' website can lead to miss-information, wrong addresses, and wrong or disconnected telephone numbers. Are we possibly providing incorrect information to the newcomer in an effort to just have "something up"? And YES it is appropriate to stamp a local telephone or meeting address on the space provided on approved CMA literature handed out at local meetings.

Who pays for a website?
In keeping with our Seventh Tradition, CMA pays its own expenses and this applies in cyberspace CMA as well. Free web hosting sites are available on the Internet, but often require the inclusion of mandatory advertising space or links to commercial sites as consideration for their use. To avoid confusion and to guard against inadvertent association or promotion, care should be taken in selection of the web host site.

What about linking to other sites?
A site to which you have linked may start to display information which your group conscience finds objectionable; and there is no way to know when this might occur, or to prevent it from happening. Linking to non-CMA sites is even more problematic. Not only are they much more likely to display non-CMA and/or controversial material, but linking might imply endorsement, if not affiliation, regardless of the contents. In the final analysis, experience strongly suggests that, when considering linking to another site, one must proceed with caution. We then re-read Tradition 6.

At the CMA GSO we have attempted to avoid some of these pitfalls by confining our links to known CMA service entities, and by incorporating a mandatory exit from our site (including when accessing application software such as, Adobe Reader, provided to assist visitors in reading Portable Document Format (PDF) files). The mandatory exit applies even in those cases when someone wishes to activate any of the links we have included on our site. Additionally, we post a prominent notice to that effect.

What about anonymity?
We observe all CMA's principles and Traditions on our websites. As anonymity is the "spiritual foundation of all our Traditions," we practice anonymity on CMA websites at all times. A CMA website is a public medium which has the potential for reaching the broadest possible audience and, therefore, requires the same safeguards that we use at the level of press, radio and film.

Will the General Service Office of CMA act as a "clearinghouse" for local websites?
There is no central authority in Crystal Meth Anonymous hence the General Service Office of CMA is not a "clearinghouse" for local websites. Questions regarding the Traditions, contents, linking, etc. are determined by a local group conscience. THE CMA GSO is available to share collected experience on any subject, including websites. At this point, though, THE CMA GSO has only limited sharing from local website committees regarding their experience with matters which are unique to website creation.

The exception to this may be actions by a local group that have an effect on the legal status of Crystal Meth Anonymous as a whole.

What can be found on the CMA websites (www.crystalmeth.org/cmaservice.org)?
In keeping with our Twelve Traditions and viewing the Internet as a form of public and electronic media, the GSO CMA website was originally set up as a public information tool. It has been broadened to include materials that are more directed to members of our Fellowship. The site provides accurate and consistent information about Crystal Meth Anonymous to the general public, media and professionals in English.

How many people visit the crystalmeth.org?
In 2007, the crystalmeth.org website has been visited approximately 2,300,000 times.

Is this promotion rather than attraction?
As the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, Bill W., wrote: "Public information takes many forms - the simple sign outside a meeting place that says 'AA meeting tonight'; listing in local phone directories; distribution of AA literature; and radio and television shows using sophisticated media techniques. Whatever the form, it comes down to 'one drunk carrying the message to another drunk,' whether through personal contact or through the use of third parties and the media."

The needs and experience of people in your own area, large or small, urban or rural, will affect if you decide to have a website or not. If you have further questions on this subject, please do not hesitate to contact our web services group.