[nandm]

my opinion is that it is largely based on people going into A.A. for reasons other than a desire to stop drinking. Many people wind up in A.A. via the court system, family wishes, because it is the popular thing to do (Look at Lindsey Lohan, Brittney Spears), just to get people off their back, etc.....

A.A. being more available than it was so many years ago is also a factor but it does open the doors to all sorts of people. This is not a bad thing as my first experience with A.A. was via the court system at the age of 21. Unfortunately, I did not see the similiarities and it was 15 more years before I made it back through the door via my desire to stop drinking.

I don't see the change as negative, I see it as positive because the more people that are aware that A.A. is their and become familiar with it the more likely the alcoholic will be able to find it when they need it.