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Marijuana Anonymous
North County Men's MA
MARIJUANA ANONYMOUS · CARLSBAD, CA
THU · 6–7 PM Open · Men · Topic
Marijuana Anonymous · North County Men's Meeting · Carlsbad

Struggling with weed?

We found a way out.

We're a group of men in North County San Diego who couldn't stop using marijuana on our own. We found a solution in Marijuana Anonymous. We meet every Thursday at 6 PM in Carlsbad. If you're a man who wants to stop struggling with weed, you're welcome to check out our group.

Meeting info · Thursday 6 PM →
The North County San Diego coastline – bluffs and beach at Carlsbad
Meets
Every Thursday
Format
Open · newcomers welcome
Location
Carlsbad, CA
Open to
Any man who wants to stop
When & where

Thursdays, 6–7 PM. Carlsbad, CA.

Back of the building. Follow the signs from the parking lot and enter from the back. You don't need to RSVP. You don't need to bring anything. Just show up.

Get directions ↗ All San Diego MA meetings ↗
Meeting
North County Men's Meeting
Format
Open meeting – newcomers welcome. Each week we share on a topic from our recovery.
Day
Thursdays
Time
6:00 – 7:00 PM
Address
2215 Calle Barcelona, Carlsbad, CA 92009
Entry
Back of the building · enter from parking lot

“We were chained to our addictions. But because of Marijuana Anonymous, we are free and connected to a Power that restores us. We can show you precisely how we have recovered and guide you through the process.”

Watercolor of a men's meeting seated in a circle of chairs
How we knew cannabis was a problem

You probably already know.

Before we found Marijuana Anonymous, most of us recognized ourselves in some version of these. We share them only as our own experience.

Watercolor of a small plant emerging toward the light
  1. 01 We said we'd quit smoking weed, and didn't.
  2. 02 Our tolerance kept climbing – more, stronger, more often.
  3. 03 We hid how much we smoked from people we loved.
  4. 04 Mornings, drives, work, sleep – weed was woven into all of it.
  5. 05 Anxiety, motivation, memory, mood – something felt off without it.
  6. 06 We tried to take a break and couldn't make it stick.
  7. 07 Money, time, and relationships started to take a hit.
  8. 08 We were tired of thinking about weed all day.
What We Did

We followed a simple program of recovery.

Members share how they recovered from a seemingly hopeless condition

01
We attended our first meeting
Some of us were nervous. Some overconfident. It didn't matter, we showed up.
02
We kept coming back
When we saw others who had recovered from marijuana addiction we wanted what they had.
03
We followed the path
We got a sponsor and followed the steps that had helped them get free.
04
We got honest with ourselves
We admitted that marijuana had defeated us, that our lives had become unmanageable.
05
We found a Power by which we could recover
All it took was open-mindedness, honesty, and willingness – but these were essential.
06
We helped others recover
Our best insurance against relapse is to continue sharing our experience and working with others.

A reading

Why God?

Watercolor of a winding path rising through soft hills

When most of us came into MA for the first time, we struggled with the idea that we needed a loving God in our lives. But, as Marijuana addicts, we also needed to face the reality that we did not have the power to overcome our addiction. We tried over and over again but we failed. Lack of power, that was our dilemma. Therefore, we needed to find a Power that really worked.

Watercolor of an open doorway with warm light and chairs inside

The Twelve Steps did not require that we have a specific idea of God. All we needed was to be open to the idea of God, no matter how new or unformed our idea of God was. The Steps ask us to set aside our prejudices against God, Spirituality, and Religion. We did that because we had to. We needed a Higher Power because our way did not work.

Watercolor of a lantern glowing softly beside a path

Countless members with long-term sobriety told us how the God idea and the Twelve Steps changed their lives. We struggled to believe that a loving God could do anything for us. However, after we humbled ourselves and opened our minds, peace and serenity replaced our old fears, doubts, and anxieties. We were restored to our right minds.

Watercolor of a lone reed by calm water as light breaks through the clouds

What seemed at first a flimsy reed, proved to be the loving and powerful hand of God.

Today, many in MA can say that the presence of God is the most important fact of their lives. For those of us who were atheists or agnostics, the change was drastic. Yet, here we were, sober, happy and free.

Marijuana Anonymous
What MA is – and isn't

What we are.

+ MA IS
  • An anonymous fellowship of addicts who help each other stay free from marijuana.
  • A 12-step program adapted from AA, with literature written by and for marijuana addicts.
  • Spiritual – we get connected to a Power that restores us. Define that Power on your own terms.
  • Open to anyone with a desire to stop. No screening, no paperwork, no commitment to come back.
− MA ISN'T
  • A religion or affiliated with any faith. We are grateful to the churches, community centers, and other organizations who let us rent space – we cooperate with them so another addict can be helped.
  • Therapy, medical treatment, or a substitute for either.
  • A place where you'll be pressured to share, pay, or sign anything.
  • A place where what you say leaves the room. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of the program.
Watercolor of an open journal and pen in soft window light
The 12 Questions

Answer honestly. Only to yourself.

From Marijuana Anonymous. A self-assessment – answer honestly, only to yourself. There's no score. If a few hit, the meeting is for you.

  1. 01 Has smoking pot stopped being fun?
  2. 02 Do you ever get high alone?
  3. 03 Is it hard for you to imagine a life without marijuana?
  4. 04 Do you find that your friends are determined by your marijuana use?
  5. 05 Do you smoke marijuana to avoid dealing with your problems?
  6. 06 Do you smoke pot to cope with your feelings?
  7. 07 Does your marijuana use let you live in a privately defined world?
  8. 08 Have you ever failed to keep promises you made about cutting down or controlling your use?
  9. 09 Has your use of marijuana caused problems with memory, concentration, or motivation?
  10. 10 When your stash is nearly empty, do you feel anxious or worried about how to get more?
  11. 11 Do you plan your life around your marijuana use?
  12. 12 Have friends or relatives ever complained that your use is damaging your relationship with them?
Frequently asked

Common questions.

Is Marijuana Anonymous free?
Yes. There are no dues or fees for MA membership. We're self-supporting through voluntary contributions from members – but no one is ever asked to pay to attend.
Do I have to speak at the meeting?
No. You can sit, listen, and leave without saying a word. Most newcomers do exactly that. If you want to share, you'll get the chance.
Is MA religious?
No. MA is a spiritual program, not a religious one. Members come from every faith and from no faith. The 'Power' the program speaks of is something you define for yourself.
Will anyone know I was there?
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of the program. What's said in the room stays in the room, and we use first names only. Nothing is recorded or reported.
Do I need to have quit already to come?
No. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using marijuana. Many members come to their first meeting still using.
Why is this a men-only meeting?
Some men find it easier to be honest about specific struggles in a room of other men. MA has co-ed and women's meetings too – see the San Diego MA site for the full schedule.
What happens at a typical meeting?
We open with a reading, the chair introduces a topic, and members share for a few minutes each on that topic. We close on time. The whole thing runs an hour.
Is marijuana actually addictive?
For some people, yes. The medical term is Cannabis Use Disorder. If you can't stop when you want to, the label doesn't matter much – the meeting is for you.
What about weed withdrawal? How long does it last?
Many of us went through it. The roughest stretch is usually the first one to two weeks – sleep gets weird, appetite disappears, mood swings, sweats, vivid dreams, irritability. Most of the acute symptoms ease by week three or four. Some of us had a longer tail of low motivation or flat mood that lifted over a few months. We aren't doctors. What we can tell you is that going through it with other men who'd been through it themselves made the difference. You don't have to white-knuckle it alone.
How do I get there?
2215 Calle Barcelona, Carlsbad, CA 92009. Park in the main lot, walk around to the back of the building, and follow the signs to the back room.
Other MA resources

Strictly MA – by tradition.

In keeping with our singleness of purpose and our tradition of no outside endorsements, we point only to other Marijuana Anonymous resources.

Marijuana Anonymous World Services
Find a meeting anywhere – online, in-person, by day, by language.
marijuana-anonymous.org ↗
San Diego Marijuana Anonymous
Local intergroup. Full Thursday and weekly schedule for San Diego County.
sandiegoma.org ↗
One last thing

There's a seat for you Thursday.

If you're a man who wants to stop struggling with weed, you're welcome to check it out. You don't need to call ahead, bring anything, or have already quit.

2215 Calle Barcelona, Carlsbad CA 92009
· THU · 18:00 · BACK ROOM