Singleness of Purpose

Singleness of Purpose is a principle of many Twelve-Step programs that flows from the Fifth Tradition of Alcoholics Anonymous, which states that "Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers."

Comparison of Fifth Traditions of Twelve-Step Programs
In other fellowships, it is rephrased as "Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the (member of that fellowship) who still suffers." That member would be any drug addict in Narcotics Anonymous, and more specifically, a cocaine addict in Cocaine Anonymous, a crystal meth addict in Crystal Meth Anonymous, a heroin addict in Heroin Anonymous, a marijuana addict in Marijuana Anonymous, and so on.

Reason for and Importance of Singleness of Purpose
The principle is based on the philosophy that those that share common physical cravings and mental obsessions can best understand and help those that are struggling with their specific addictions. Alcoholics Anonymous founder Bill Wilson wrote in the February 1958 A.A. Grapevine that
We cannot give AA membership to non-alcoholic narcotics-addicts. But like anyone else, they should be able to attend certain open AA meetings, provided, of course, that the groups themselves are willing.
AA members who are so inclined should be encouraged to band together in groups to deal with sedative and drug problems. But they ought to refrain from calling themselves AA groups. There seems to be no reason why several AAs cannot join, if they wish, with a group of straight addicts to solve the alcohol and the drug problem together. But, obviously, such a "dual purpose" group should not insist that it be called an AA group nor should it use the AA name in its title. Neither should its "straight addict" contingent be led to believe that they have become AA members by reason of such an association.
Certainly there is every good reason for interested AAs to join with "outside" groups, working on the narcotic problem, provided the Traditions of anonymity and of "no endorsements" are respected.
In conclusion, I want to say that throughout AA's history, most of our special-purpose groups have accomplished very wonderful things. There is great reason to hope that those AAs who are now working in the grim regions of narcotic addiction will achieve equal success.
In AA, the group has strict limitations, but the individual has scarcely any. Remembering to observe the Traditions of anonymity and non-endorsement, he can carry AA's message into every troubled area of this very troubled world.

This principle is not usually considered violated by helping those with differing cross-addictions, so long as there is some shared addictions between the recovered and those that they are helping to recover. As Bill Wilson stated in that same A.A. Grapevine article,
Suppose, though, that we are approached by a drug addict who nevertheless has had a genuine alcoholic history. There was a time when such a person would have been rejected. Many early AAs had the almost comical notion that they were "pure alcoholics" -- guzzlers only, no other serious problems at all. When alcoholic "ex-cons" and drug users first turned up there was much pious indignation. "What will people think?" chanted the pure alcoholics. Happily, this foolishness has long since evaporated. One of the best AAs I know is a man who had been seven years on the needle before he joined up with us. But prior to that, he had been a terrific alcoholic and his history proved it. Therefore he could qualify for AA and this he certainly did. Since then, he has helped many AAs and some non-AAs with their pill and drug troubles. Of course, that is strictly his affair and is no way the business of the AA group to which he belongs. In his group he is a member because, in actual fact, he is an alcoholic.

Other Approaches to Singleness of Purpose
Narcotics Anonymous is the most flexible with this principle, stating no official guidance on this topic as they believe that any drug addict may help another, regardless of what each member's particular drug of choice was during their active addiction. However, the Narcotics Anonymous book Sponsorship, does state that many members of their fellowship have found it useful to be sponsored by another addict who had similar experiences during their active addictions.

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