Formation of Narcotics Anonymous
In the summer of 1953 Jimmy Kinnon and other members of Alcoholics Anonymous began holding their own separate meetings, which they called Narcotics Anonymous. Mr. Kinnon and several others were given permission from Alcoholics Anonymous to adapt the AA Twelve Steps, but Jimmy changed the Step 1 from "Powerless over Alcohol" to "Powerless over Addiction." This a significant change of focus from the AA program because NA is focused on the recovery from the disease of addiction rather than any particular substance that was used. Mr. Kinnon saw that the substance being a symptom of a deeper core issue, (i.e. the thinking, obsession and compulsions) which the substance is used to gain a temporary relief from. Narcotics Anonymous was officially founded in July 1953 in Sun Valley, California. There was a different organization also called Narcotics Anonymous that was previously founded by a recovering addict named Mr. Danny Carlsen in New York City, but it did not follow the 12 Traditions and was more of a social-services organization rather than a Fellowship. It died out in the mid-1960's and was never connected to the NA Mr. Kinnon started in Sun Valley that remains and flourishes all over the world today.
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