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Rows of colorful chairs representing the meeting spaces used for Moderation Management group discussions and community gatherings.

AGENDA

Moderation Management

MODERATION MANAGEMENT ™ MEETING MATERIALS

MM Meeting Essentials Hub

Every good conversation needs a little structure. This page includes the meeting scripts, guidelines, and resources that help Moderation Management meetings stay welcoming, honest, and useful. Think of it as the roadmap—not the backseat driver.

Don’t worry—there won’t be a quiz at the end.

Opening Statement

Welcome to this meeting of Moderation Management. My name is ________ and I’m the discussion leader tonight.

We are a support group concerned about our drinking, and we welcome anyone who shares this concern. The purpose of Moderation Management is to provide a supportive environment for healthy decision-making about drinking and lifestyle, which includes the elimination of any harm related to alcohol use. MM support groups are not treatment or therapy. We endorse research-based guidelines for moderate drinking which emphasize good health and safety, including no drinking and driving.

MM meetings are safe, confidential and non-judgmental. Understanding that individuals’ goals and progress vary, we offer support but do not dictate behavior. We share our experiences and strategies for moderation and balance, including techniques for behavior change and managing negative emotions.

We suggest that members refrain from using alcohol or other substances prior to meetings, so that you may be fully present for yourself and the other meeting participants. We welcome you all and are honored to have you with us.

[OPTIONAL: We encourage everyone to share a few words about their moderation journey, and if you are a newcomer, please feel free to introduce yourself and let us know what brings you here. However, you are also welcome to listen to what the others have to say until you are comfortable enough to share your own thoughts.]

MM Meeting Ground Rules

  • An MM meeting is a safe, protected and confidential space. If you are concerned about your drinking, you are welcome here.
  • We are here to help each other. The appropriate attitude is one of mutual respect and tolerance.
  • People should not come to MM meetings intoxicated and we suggest abstaining from drinking altogether on meeting days.
  • We discourage our members from socializing together in drinking situations, and alcohol is never allowed at meetings or official MM-related activities.
  • We share our experiences and our knowledge; we do not stand in judgment of others and we try to avoid giving personal advice.
  • We understand that individuals may choose paths other than ours; they are welcome if they are concerned about their drinking.

Nine Steps Toward Moderation and Positive Lifestyle Changes

  1. Attend meetings or on-line groups and learn about the program of Moderation Management.
  2. Abstain from alcoholic beverages for 30 days and complete steps three through six during this time.
  3. Examine how drinking has affected your life.
  4. Write down your life priorities.
  5. Take a look at how much, how often, and under what circumstances you had been drinking.
  6. Learn the MM guidelines and limits for moderate drinking.
  7. Set moderate drinking limits and start weekly “small steps” toward balance and moderation in other areas of your life.
  8. Review your progress and update your goals.
  9. Continue to make positive lifestyle changes and attend meetings whenever you need ongoing support or would like to help newcomers.
A Moderate Drinker

When you have made the healthy decision to drink less, and you stay within moderate limits, you should not experience any health, personal, family, social, job-related, financial, or legal problems due to alcohol. The suggested guidelines below allow for a degree of individual interpretation, because moderation is a flexible principle and is not the same for everyone. The suggested limits, however, are more definite.

A Moderate Drinker:

  • considers an occasional drink to be a small, though enjoyable, part of life.
  • has hobbies, interests, and other ways to relax and enjoy life that do not involve alcohol.
  • usually has friends who are moderate drinkers or nondrinkers.
  • generally has something to eat before, during, or soon after drinking.
  • usually does not drink for longer than an hour or two on any particular occasion.
  • usually does not drink faster than one drink per half-hour.
  • usually does not exceed the .055% BAC moderate drinking limit. (see Note 1 below)
  • feels comfortable with his or her use of alcohol (never drinks secretly and does not spend a lot of time thinking about drinking or planning to drink).

The MM Limits:

  • Strictly obey local laws regarding drinking and driving.
  • Do not drink in situations that would endanger yourself or others.
  • Do not drink every day. MM suggests that you abstain from drinking alcohol at least 3 or 4 days per week.
  • Women who drink more than 3 drinks on any day, and more than 9 drinks per week, may be drinking at harmful levels. (See Note 2 below for definition of a “standard” drink)
  • Men who drink more than 4 drinks on any day, and more than 14 drinks per week, may be drinking at harmful levels.

Notes:
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) charts are available at MM meetings, or at our BAC Table Link

Standard drink: one 12 oz-beer (5% alcohol), one 5-oz glass wine (12% alcohol), or 1 and 1/2 oz of 80-proof liquor (40% alcohol).

These “number of drinks” limits are LIMITS and not TARGETS. Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) charts are more accurate than number of drink limits because they take into account weight, sex, and rate of drinking. If you are very light in weight use the BAC upper limit of .O55%. Some researchers advise a limit of one drink per day for older adults (55+).

The limits used by MM are based on research published in 1995 in the American Journal of Public Health, by Dr. Martha Sanchez-Craig, Addiction Research Foundation, Toronto, Canada and other published limits.