ontario REGION of narcotics anonymous

you are no longer alone.

drug problem? 

we can help.

ABOUT US

Narcotics Anonymous is a global, community-based organization with a multi-lingual and multicultural membership. Today, NA members hold over 70,000 meetings weekly in 144 countries (as of May 2018). We offer recovery from the effects of addiction through working a twelve-step program, including regular attendance at group meetings. The group atmosphere provides help from peers and offers an ongoing support network for addicts who wish to pursue and maintain a drug-free lifestyle. 

Our name, Narcotics Anonymous, is not meant to imply a focus on any particular drug; NA’s approach makes no distinction between drugs including alcohol. Membership is free, and we have no affiliation with any organizations outside of NA including governments, religions, law enforcement groups, or medical and psychiatric associations. Through all of our service efforts and our cooperation with others seeking to help addicts, we strive to reach a day when every addict in the world has an opportunity to experience our message of recovery in his or her own language and culture.  

HISTORY

Narcotics Anonymous was founded in 1953 in California. Our membership growth was minimal during our initial twenty years as an organization, but since the publication of our Basic Text in 1983, the number of members and meetings has increased dramatically. 

The first Narcotics Anonymous meeting in Canada took place in late September of 1967. It was in Victoria, British Columbia that James D. and Bernard A. began meeting weekly to help each other stay clean. The late 1960’s were a time of struggle for NA and in 1967 there were only 15 meetings worldwide, with most of them occurring in California. Although the attendance at the Victoria meetings fluctuated and the locations often changed, by the early 1970’s the Fellowship had begun to stabilize. 

In 1981 the NA World Directory listed 11 meetings in BC. The publishing of the Basic text was responsible for the rapid growth of NA in BC, and it wasn’t long before there were several meetings throughout the Province. In 1989, the NA World Directory listed 112 meetings in BC.

The first registered NA Group in Ontario first met on May 7th, 1981 in Sudbury. The Group was called "The First Step Group" and it was held at the Youth Centre on Saint Anne’s Road in Sudbury. Diane B. helped start the Group with six days clean. 

Current numbers:

There are currently over 450 NA meetings in Ontario

There are currently over 1,300 NA meetings in Canada

There are currently over 76,000 NA meetings worldwide in over 144 countries.