Marijuana was Vicki’s primary addiction along with alcoholism. Like a lot of us, she smoked pot much more frequently than she drank, but ended up in AA just the same. The hauntings of a painful childhood in a dysfunctional family, fractured by her parents’ divorce when she was young, created self-loathing, shame, and a sense of not belonging. Fortunately, she found marijuana at 13. That, plus whatever alcohol she was able to get at the time, provided Vicki with that longed-for relief and comfort that was missing in her life. She was soon getting high every day, yet even when she added booze to the mix, her ability to function under the influence remained sharp. She was able to stay employed, eventually becoming a mother of two in her mid-thirties. But, her desire to get high 24/7 soon prevailed over her ability to function as a responsible parent. She finally hit the tipping point and found herself in a 12-Step program for her marijuana addiction. While there, she recognized the alcoholism that was also ruining her life, and made her way into Alcoholics Anonymous. In AA, she found a sponsor, worked the steps, went to meetings, and helped others. She was able to address both of her addictions with a solid program of recovery.

For those listeners who have also struggled with marijuana addiction, Vicki’s story should hit some responsive chords. Especially salient are her experiences in AA during her early involvement with another 12-Step program and the difficulties of trying to justify continuing to drink in the midst of quitting marijuana. And vice versa. The rest of Vicki’s story is most engaging and applicable to anyone seeking help from multiple 12-Step Programs.

So please enjoy the next hour of AA Recovery Interviews with my friend and AA sister, Vicki A.

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging cover-to-cover, word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and Personal Stories, many of which were left out of the Third and Fourth Editions. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In strict adherence to A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. – Howard L.]