Membership is open to all drug addicts, regardless of the particular drug or combination of drugs used. When adapting AA’s First Step, the word "addiction" was substituted for "alcohol," thus removing drug-specific language and reflecting the "disease concept" of addiction.

There is no social, religious, economic, racial, ethnic, national, gender, or class-status membership restrictions. There are no dues or fees for membership; while most members regularly contribute small sums to help cover the expenses of meetings, such contributions are not mandatory.

Narcotics Anonymous provides a recovery process and support network inextricably linked together. One of the keys to NA’s success is the therapeutic value of addicts working with other addicts. Members share their successes and challenges in overcoming active addiction and living drug-free productive lives through the application of the principles contained within the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of NA. These principles are the core of the Narcotics Anonymous recovery program. Principles incorporated within the steps include:

• admitting there is a problem;
• seeking help;
• engaging in a thorough self-examination;
• confidential self-disclosure;
• making amends for harm done; and
• helping other drug addicts who want to recover.

Central to the Narcotics Anonymous program is its emphasis on practicing spiritual principles. Narcotics Anonymous itself is non-religious, and each member is encouraged to cultivate an individual understanding—religious or not—of this "spiritual awakening."

Narcotics Anonymous is not affiliated with other organizations, including other twelve step programs, treatment centers, or correctional facilities. As an organization, NA does not employ professional counselors or therapists nor does it provide residential facilities or clinics. Additionally, the fellowship does not provide vocational, legal, financial, psychiatric, or medical services. NA has only one mission: to provide an environment in which addicts can help one another stop using drugs and find a new way to live. 

In Narcotics Anonymous, members are encouraged to comply with complete abstinence from all drugs including alcohol. It has been the experience of NA members that complete and continuous abstinence provides the best foundation for recovery and personal growth. NA as a whole has no opinion on outside issues, including prescribed medications. Use of psychiatric medication and other medically indicated drugs prescribed by a physician and taken under medical supervision is not seen as compromising a person’s recovery in NA.

In order to maintain its focus, Narcotics Anonymous has established a tradition of non-endorsement and does not take positions on anything outside its own specific sphere of activity. Narcotics Anonymous does not express opinions—either pro or con—on civil, social, medical, legal, or religious issues. Additionally, it does not take stands on addiction-related issues such as criminality, law enforcement, drug legalization or penalties, prostitution, HIV/HCV infection, or syringe programs.

Narcotics Anonymous is entirely self-supporting and does not accept financial contributions from non-members. Based on the same principle, groups and service committees are run by NA members, for members.

Narcotics Anonymous neither endorses nor opposes any other organization’s philosophy or methodology. Its primary competence is in providing a platform upon which drug addicts can share their recovery and experiences with one another. This is not to say that Narcotics Anonymous believes there are not any other "good" or "worthy" organizations. To remain free of the distraction of controversy, NA focuses all of its energy on its particular area of purpose, leaving other organizations to fulfill their own goals.

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Cooperating with Narcotics Anonymous
Although certain traditions guide its relations with other organizations, Narcotics Anonymous welcomes the cooperation of those in government, the clergy, the helping professions, and private voluntary organizations. NA’s nonaddict friends have been instrumental in getting Narcotics Anonymous started in many countries and helping NA grow.

NA strives to cooperate with others interested in Narcotics Anonymous by providing contact information, literature, and information about recovery through the NA Fellowship. Additionally, NA members are often available to make panel presentations in treatment centers and correctional facilities, sharing the NA program with addicts otherwise unable to attend community-based meetings.

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Membership demographics
To offer some general informal observations about the nature of the membership and the effectiveness of the program the following observations are believed to be reasonably accurate.

The socioeconomic strata represented by the NA membership vary from country to country. Members of one particular social or economic class start most national NA movements, but as their outreach activities become more effective, the membership becomes more broadly representative of all socioeconomic backgrounds.

All ethnic and religious backgrounds are represented among NA members. Once a national movement reaches a certain level of maturity, its membership generally reflects the diversity or homogeneity of the background culture.

Membership in Narcotics Anonymous is voluntary; no attendance records are kept either for NA’s own purposes or for others. Because of this, it is sometimes difficult to provide interested parties with comprehensive information about NA membership. There are, however, some objective measures that can be shared based on data obtained from our membership. At every World Convention since 1996, NA World Services has distributed demographic surveys. In 2007, the survey was diseminated at the world convention which was held in San Antonio Texas. Additionally, this survey was available for members who chose to participate online and via mail and fax. This mark's the first time in NA's history that a fellowshipwide demographic survey was offered. There were approximatley 13,500 responces, which representes the largest sample to date. We collect this data to provide information about our fellowship, strenghten our public relations efforts, and learn more about how and where we carry our message of recovery.

• Gender: 56% male, 44% female.
• Age: Based on survey responces, the average age of NA members is 42.8 years. 2% 14-20 years  old, 14% 21–30 years old, 23% 31–40 years old, 37% 41–50 years old, 22% 51–60 years old, 3% over 60 years of age, and 1% did not answer.
• Ethnicity: 73% Caucasian, 14% African-American, 7% Hispanic, and 7% other.
• Employment status: 69% employed full-time, 9% employed part-time, 7% unemployed, 6% retired, 4% homemakers, 5% students.
• Occupation: Health Professional 14%, Professional Technical 14%, Other/Self-Employed 14%, Manager/Administrator 13%, Laborour 9%, Service Worker 5%, Sales 5%, Clerical Worker 4%, Educator 3%, Crafts/Arts 2%, Transportation 2%, Did Not Answer 15%.
• Continuous abstinence/recovery: ranged from less than one year to over 40 years, with a mean average of 9.2 years.

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Rate of growth
Because no attendance records are kept, it is impossible to estimate what percentages of those who come to Narcotics Anonymous remain active in NA over time. The only sure indicator of the program's success is the rapid growth in the number of registered Narcotics Anonymous meetings in recent decades and the rapid spread of Narcotics Anonymous outside North America.

• In 1978, there were fewer than 200 registered groups in three countries.
• In 1983, more than a dozen countries had 2,966 meetings.
• In 1993, 60 countries had over 13,000 groups holding over 19,000 meetings.
• In 2002, 108 countries had 20,000 groups holding over 30,000 meetings.
• In 2005, 116 countries had over 21,500 groups holding over 33,500 weekly meetings.
• In 2007, there are over 27,000 groups holding over 50,000 weekly meetings in 130 countries.

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