&gt; So which is it - is it a treatment with no benefits other than that which is attributable to selection bias, as you first claimed, or is it a high-touch treatment that performs similarly to CBT or other forms of therapy?<p>It is a high-touch treatment that performs as well as a 5 minute intervention, despite constant claims that it is better.  In the post I originally replied to, you implied that you were comparing it to other methods rather than nothing, although it wasn&#x27;t terribly clear.<p>&gt; It doesn&#x27;t cost anyone anything except for those who attend<p>The oft-claimed improvement of AA over other methods messes up our views on addiction, as well as the justice system for addicts.  Our refusal to use drugs to fight addiction even though the science is quite clear stems from full-abstinence organizations, largely led by AA.