Narcotics Anonymous

In Sept. 12, 1999 The Jakarta Post, there was an article about recovery from addiction. There was some information given about when and how the program of Narcotics Anonymous began, plus the numbers of members and meetings worldwide.

Those were old statistics, written in 1994. Narcotics Anonymous (NA) actually began in Southern California, in 1953 (not 1947 as written in The Post), and by the addicts themselves, not by or from any U.S. federal hospital program. NA used the basic program and principles of Alcoholics Anonymous (which started in 1935).

Today the 12 Step Program of Narcotics Anonymous can be found in well over 120 Countries, and has helped millions of addicts become, and stay, clean and sober.

In Indonesia the first meeting of Narcotics Anonymous was in Jakarta on April 1, 1997 in Cipete, South Jakarta (refer to The Post, July 11, 1999).

The Programs of Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous today represent the finest methods of staying clean and sober, because they represent the community based Aftercare Program for addicts and families of addicts. It is totally run and administrated by the addicts themselves. Programs of Recovery, Rehabilitation and Counseling Centers, and the 12 Steps Programs of Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous together give addicts their best chance for a total and full recovery from addiction.

For more information about AA and NA, it is easy to access NA and AA on the Internet. Refer to http://www.na.org for basic information on NA world service organization.

DAVID DJAELANI GORDON

Yayasan Harapan Permata Hati Kita

Bogor, West Java