It doesn't matter what I think, it happens all the time. I'm not going to get on anybody if they want too call themselves an addict at an AA meeting.
I'm an alcoholic, I'm not a drug addict - however, I'm quite certain that if I were to give it a try I could become one handily. Otherwise the "drug" part of my story is pretty short. I smoked weed in college, it made me paranoid and my throat sore, both of which were cured by drinking more beer.
My daughter is also in AA. She's definitely an alcoholic although it was heroin that brought her down, and into recovery. But she normally introduces herself as an alcoholic. The drugs are part of her story though, and she includes them because otherwise the story is, well, wrong.
well I am an alcoholic and a drug addict, there I said it. And I've been announcing myself as such in meetings for awhile and no one has given me any grief about it. I have heard some old timers complain, mid-sentence, when someone who was sharing started to talk about drug use in a meeting. I understand the concept of dilluting the message and perhaps confusing a newcomer who is Not a drug addict. However for this AA/NA I had to address both issues to stay clean and sober. I felt more at home with AA (although I did attend weekly NA meetings in the first 2 years). It's better for me to remind myself that drugs are part of my problem. I haven't had an honest desire to drink in like forever, but I do wind up in places (concerts etc...) where I smell pot burning and think "oh that would be nice...".
So I guess my non-objective answer would be no, I don't think it's a problem.
I'm alcoholic and there are drugs in my history. For me, they mostly got me to the drink and over the drink. In the end, it was all alcohol. If some things had been different I guess my story would be different, but "It Is What It Is".
Most members I've talk with, when this topic has come up, say that out of respect for the meeting they are sitting in they identifly with that program. What upsets me, is when the meeting is turned into a debate over how to idenify and the reason for being there is lost.
I'm primarily an alcoholic but did my share of drugs also. I got sober in 1984 when N/A and other drug programs where under/not available in many cases so there where a lot of younger people who I'm sure mostly did drugs but got sober in AA (these people helped save my life so I have a special place in my heart for them). They almost always identified themselves as Alcoholics only.
Technically, you can call yourself whatever you want as long as you consider yourself an Alcoholic/problem drinker.
Personally, I try to be tolerant and really don't care what AA's call themselves
But, I have seen a lot of non productive silly discussion and singleness of purpose arguments develope over the word "Addict"
So, in the interest of the group I suggest people identify themselves as "Alchoholics" only.
I believe this is a good jesture of unselfishness and helps us obsolve us of our feelings that we are unique.
The faster we can rid ourselves of feeling unique, the faster we can begin to work on the solution, which is basically the same whether we are Alcoholic or Addict or both
__________________
Rob
"There ain't no Coupe DeVille hiding in the bottom of a Cracker Jack Box."
Technically, you can call yourself whatever you want as long as you consider yourself an Alcoholic/problem drinker.
Personally, I try to be tolerant and really don't care what AA's call themselves
But, I have seen a lot of non productive silly discussion and singleness of purpose arguments develope over the word "Addict"
So, in the interest of the group I suggest people identify themselves as "Alchoholics" only.
I believe this is a good jesture of unselfishness and helps us obsolve us of our feelings that we are unique.
The faster we can rid ourselves of feeling unique, the faster we can begin to work on the solution, which is basically the same whether we are Alcoholic or Addict or both
OK let's all be 'unselfish' and do exactly what you want us to do!
Quit the debating society, I heard people add all kinds of ANDAs and my opinion ain't going to stop 'em if I like it or not.
Acceptance is the key, this sort of stuff is more likely to cease when you ignore it
Prior to AA I thought most if not all the world was against me, it wasn't. The problem was with me and my attitude towards the world.
Or simply, I can change me but I cannot change the world.
Now someone may not like people adding some ANDA when they introduce themselves, but I have never come across a situation where it endangered a group. Maybe very rarely the odd argument, but to be honest if the argument had not been about ANDAs it would have been about something else rather trivial.
The argument that to say this is selfish, that is utter rubbish. There is nothing selfish in the person saying that.
This fellowship has no rules (not even for ANDAs) the live & let live card seen at most meetings covers this.
This also means that anyone can carry on trying to get people to stop saying their ANDAs, but I believe their energy would be better channeled into acceptance.
There is a big difference from someone expressing that they do not feel there is a need to add an ANDA to their introduction and trying to impose their views on others by trying to imply it is something negative.
and no one has given me any grief about it. I have heard some old timers complain, mid-sentence, when someone who was sharing started to talk about drug use in a meeting. I understand the concept of dilluting the message and perhaps confusing a newcomer who is Not a drug addict. However for this AA/NA I had to address both issues to stay clean and sober. I felt more at home with AA (although I did attend weekly NA meetings in the first 2 years). It's better for me to remind myself that drugs are part of my problem. I haven't had an honest desire to drink in like forever, but I do wind up in places (concerts etc...) where I smell pot burning and think "oh that would be nice...". 
