[1] As of July 2017, there are over 700 face-to-face meetings in 32 countries worldwide[2] with the majority of these meetings occurring in the United States,[2] Iran,[citation needed] India,[2] Canada,[2] Brazil,[2] the United Kingdom,[2] Australia,[2] Russia[2] and in various online community and social media platforms.
In June 1982 the founders, Rodger F, Robert K, Stephanie S, Dan H, began holding group meetings in Santa Monica California.
[citation needed] In 1986 the group members met for their first conference in Bakersfield, California to form a fellowship, originally known as Smokers Anonymous.
[citation needed] In 2000, "NicA" was selected to abbreviate Nicotine Anonymous at the annual World Service Conference.
Nicotine Anonymous operates with an elected, all volunteer, nine member board of officers and a set of by-laws.
Combinations of these approaches, marketed in commercial packages such as Smokeless and Smoke Stoppers, are licensed to treatment providers and conducted on an inpatient or outpatient basis.
[1] In 1996, NicA ranked twelfth in size among the thirteen twelve-step organizations studied by Klaus Makela.
At the six-month follow up all groups had similar percentages of members maintaining abstinence from tobacco (29%, 27%, and 21%, respectively) and also at twelve-months (27%, 27%, and 26%, respectively).
[17] In a survey of 104 smokers (ages 18 and older) 78% reported they believed spiritual resources could be helpful in an attempt to quit smoking.
In the same survey, male smokers, ages 31 and over, and females were found to be significantly more open to using spiritual resources in the smoking cessation process than controls.
Heavy smokers, those smoking more than fifteen cigarettes per day, were also significantly more receptive to encouragement of spiritual resources in an attempt to quit.
A Year of Miracles has 366 daily meditations further expanding on topics related to recovery from nicotine addiction.
Voices of NicA is a CD that has audio shares from members covering their experience, strength and hope in their nicotine recovery.
A NicA pamphlet, Tips for Gaining Freedom from Nicotine, was reviewed in 1999 by a convenience sample of twelve professional colleagues of psychologist Edward Lichtenstein.
The cognitive behavioral tips included setting dates, making commitments, planning things to keep one's mind off smoking, having something to fidget with, having something to put in one's mouth, rewarding oneself when goals have been met, remembering that discomfort associated with withdrawal will subside within two weeks.