Petition · past parliament · Department of Health and Social Care

Change the law to enable sectioning for alcoholism

Closed 74 signatures

What the petition asks

The Government should make it possible for people to be sectioned as a result of alcoholism, in the same way they can for mental health problems, where alcohol addiction means a person is a risk to themselves or others. Carers, family and friends cannot currently refer alcoholics for sectioning.
Currently friends and family of alcoholics are told that the NHS cannot help if the person does not want help, even if that means they are a danger to themselves. If they had an eating disorder or manic depression it could be possible for them to be sectioned, to protect their wellbeing. The same provisions should apply to alcoholics.

Timeline

6 Dec 2021 Petition opened for signatures
6 Jun 2022 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 74
Status Closed
Department Department of Health and Social Care
Opened 6 Dec 2021
Closed 6 Jun 2022

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.