VONR FAQs

1 – How do I find out when meetings are?
2 – How do I get to a meeting?
3 – I’m still smoking. Can I participate?
4 – What are the rules for meetings?
5 – How come people make comments when others are sharing?
6 – Where can I get a microphone? Do I have to have one?
7 – What is the format for chairing a meeting?
8 – How do I volunteer to chair a meeting?
9 – Do I have to be quit to chair a meeting?
10 – Where to find a Quitmeter?
11 – How come I’m getting so much email?
12 – Are there rules to what I can post and what I can’t?
13 – What do LOL, YFIR, etc. mean?
14 – What do you think about nicotine replacement therapy?
15 – How much will VONR cost me?

1 – How do I find out when meetings are?
Go to our Calendar & Meetings page at: https://voicesofnicotinerecovery.com/calendar

Back to Top

2 – How do I get to a meeting?

How to attend meetings on Zoom

  1. Go to Zoom and download and install the app to your computer or go to your app store to download the app and install on your device.
  2. Create an account with a username and password on your computer or device.
  3. In VONR’s Calendar, click on the day/time of the meeting you wish to attend, and find the link to the meeting room. Input the password to enter the meeting.

How to attend meetings on Paltalk

  1. Download PalTalk on your computer or install the app for your device.
  2. Create a username and log in.
  3. 15 minutes before the meeting is scheduled to begin, log into Paltalk, and if the meeting room is open, you should be able to find it.
    NOTE: The room is only visible when a chairperson opens it.
  4. There are several options for finding our group in Paltalk:
    • Group Paltalk page: https://www.paltalk.com/g2/group/988820702/DisplayGroupDetails.wmt
    • Voicesofnicotinerecovery.com: hit the green “Join a meeting” button on every page.
    • In Paltalk:  look for Chat Rooms Icon > Health > Overcoming Addiction > Voices of Nicotine Recovery.
    • In Paltalk: Search for “Voices of Nicotine Recovery”

Back to Top

3 – I’m still smoking. Can I participate?
Absolutely!!  The only requirement for Nicotine Anonymous membership is a DESIRE to stop using nicotine (Tradition 3). You will find that we have participation in our meetings from people who are still smoking, people just beginning quits, on up through people who have years off of nicotine. ALL are welcome to come and participate!

Back to Top

4 – What are the rules for meetings?
We don’t really have any “rules,” per se. We do ask that people try to be courteous and help make our meetings a safe place to be and share. We have what we call “rules of quiet and courtesy” which are basically guidelines for sharing. The following is read at the start of each meeting:

“We observe the rules of quiet and courtesy so as not to interrupt whomever is sharing at the time. Please “raise your hand” (there is a hand button at the bottom right under the Paltalk user list) when wanting to share and wait until chairperson calls on you. Press the “talk” button to share. When you are finished commenting, please type or say GA (for go ahead).”

Back to Top

5 – How come people make comments when others are sharing?
In a face-to-face (aka F2F) meeting, you can see others’ expressions as you share. When you are speaking at an Internet meeting, you can’t see the other people in the chat room. People therefore like to give support and encouragement by typing really simple things that let the speaker know they are being heard and understood. We discourage cross talk, or talking while another is sharing, but you may type basic comments or phrases (such as “agree” or “relate” or you can use “emoticons” as you feel is appropriate.

Back to Top

6 – Do I have to have a microphone?
You don’t have to have a microphone. All you need for meetings is speakers so that you can hear what others are sharing.

You can also attend meetings by phone or tablet and use the built in microphone on your device.

Back to Top

7 – What is the format for chairing a meeting?
The suggested format for chairing a meeting is posted under the Resources > Chairing Meetings navigation link on our website: Chairing Meetings

Back to Top

8 – How do I volunteer to chair a meeting?
To volunteer to chair a meeting, simply pick a meeting in need of a co-chairperson and contact the current chairperson that you would like to co-chair at that time. VONR requires that chairs and co-chairs have 30 days nicotine free.

Back to Top

9 – Do I have to be quit to chair a meeting?
Yes. VONR requires that chairs and co-chairs have 30 days nicotine free.

Back to Top

10 – Where to find a Quitmeter?
You can do a search for ”Quitmeter” and find one of the many apps for your device.

Back to Top

11 – How come I’m getting so much forum email?
Chances are when you first joined the forum you chose “individual emails” as your email option. When you first sign up for our group you will have 4 email options:

Individual Emails
Daily Digest
Special Notices
No Email

Individual emails: Many people get individual emails to make sure they are keeping up with the group and what’s going on with everyone and their quits. HOWEVER, we can be a very chatty group and some people become overwhelmed with this amount of email. You may want to try it set on individual emails, but if this becomes too much for you be aware that at any time  you can go back to our Yahoo group homepage and edit your membership.

Daily Digest: Many choose this option and really like it. It provides all discussion board posts in one convenient email per day. When folks don’t have time to go to the site and read and
respond to posts, they can scan the digest and feel fairly sure they are at least not missing
anything too important or falling too far out of the loop.

Special Notices: This choice provides only whole group email messages from one of the
moderators.

No Emails: This means you go to the site and read the message board.

Back to Top

12 – Are there rules to what I can post and what I can’t?
No not really. We do not allow commercial posts and ask that you try to keep your subject matter to the topic of nicotine use and recovery.

Back to Top

13 – What do LOL, YFIR, etc. mean?
When it comes to typing, we use a lot of shortcuts in chats and messages. Here are a few abbreviations you might come across:

BRB: Be Right Back
ESH: Experience, Strength and Hope
EST: Eastern Standard Time
F2F: Face to Face (real, live meetings)
GA: Go Ahead
GTSY: Good To See You
HOW: Honesty, Openness and Willingness
HP: Higher Power
K: OK
LOL: Laughing Out Loud
NP: No Problem (It’s ok)
NRT: Nicotine Replacement Therapies (Nicotine Gum, Patches, Etc.)
OMG: Oh My Goodness
ROFL: Rolling On The Floor Laughing
TTYL: Talk To You Later
TY: Thank You
VONR: Voices of Nicotine Recovery
WB: Welcome Back
WTG: Way To Go!
YFIR: Your Friend In Recovery
YW: You’re Welcome
5Ds: Delay, Distract, Discuss, Drink water, Deep breathe

Back to Top

14 – What do you think about nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)?
Nicotine Anonymous officially has no position on NRT, nor do the moderators of this board. We welcome you whether you are using nicotine or not, and we support you in your quit whether you use NRT or not. We can not give you any advice as to the helpfulness of using NRT, all we can do is share our experience, strength and hope which is that it works for some and doesn’t work for others.

Back to Top

15 – How much will VONR cost me?
Tradition Seven states, “Every Nicotine Anonymous group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.” There are no dues or fees for VONR membership, however there are plenty of expenses associated with a worldwide fellowship and outreach program.

Although we have no dues or fees, if you would like to send a voluntary contribution to VONR  to help with our expenses, you can make an online donation by going to https://voicesofnicotinerecovery.com/. You’ll find the donate button at the bottom of this page.

Back to Top