I've witnessed this at the meetings I used to attend. I was NOT impressed at all with how it was handled and it turned me off big time. I was in detox at the same time as the guy who was drunk, so actually knew him. We had spent a week in detox together. He relapsed hardcore about 2 days after he got out and he showed up totally hammered at a meeting (the one they make us go to in detox)...NOBODY did a damn thing. Not one single person got up to help.
This is the same meeting that basically feels like a bad day in highschool, with all it's cliques and BS. I've seen "old timers" actually sleeping while a speaker is talking, or on their phone.
I know all meetings are not like that, however, it turned me off immediately and I haven't gone back. NO thanks.