And, in case you are not familiar with drug alcohol rehabilitation, over 95% of all drug alcohol treatment centers in the United States are based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. A fair amount of their treatment programs are devoted to teaching their patients about the 12 steps, attending AA meetings and even working some of the first few steps, while in their care.

Alcoholics Anonymous is a spiritually centered program. Much of their program of recovery has to do with believing in and building a relationship with God, or a Higher Power. And there is nothing wrong with it. As a matter of fact, it is good format for living and staying sober. Alcoholics Anonymous is there to help people stay sober, but it is not considered therapy. It is an "after treatment is completed", program.

The question is whether AA is actually a form of religion. And does it belong as such an integral part of drug alcohol rehab and treatment. One definition of religion is; a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects, a body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices. So, using that as the definition, Alcoholics Anonymous might very well meet the criteria of being a form of religion.

The problem recently came to a head when a California judge ruled a parolee, who was an atheist, was required to complete a 12 step treatment program as a part of his sentence. Apparently, the United States government felt Alcoholics Anonymous was enough of a religious organization to rule it was not fair to order an atheist to participate in it.

In addition, Alcoholics Anonymous does not work for everyone. As a matter of fact, it does not work for a sizable percentage of people who try it. Therefore, there is a need for change. The drug rehab industry need to come out of the dark ages and offer a non 12 step alternative program. It would be much better, if there were a lot more drug alcohol rehab programs that either did not offer the 12 steps, or offered the 12 steps as well as the option of some other format which did not include them at all.