Closed petition: Put the dangers of methanol poisoning on the school curriculum

Petition progress

View all updates for this petition, with the most recent first.

• 5 May 2026

  Related activity

  Government responds to petition relating to education on methanol poisoning

  The Government has responded to a public (paper) petition calling for the dangers of consuming bootleg alcohol be taught as part of the PSHE or biology curriculum in schools. The petition was presented to the House of Commons by Gareth Bacon MP on behalf of residents of the constituency of Orpington.

  • Read the petition and the Government's response

  The petition asks the House of Commons to urge the Government to ensure that children and young people are taught about the dangers of consuming bootleg alcohol as part of the PSHE or biology curriculum in schools.

  In response to the petition's request, the Government states that the deaths caused by methanol poisoning reinforce the Department’s commitment to ensure young people are equipped with the knowledge they need to stay safe, including in relation to alcohol. Statutory guidance for health education requires pupils to be taught the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks, while the revised RSHE statutory guidance published on 15 July 2025 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education) states that by the end of secondary school pupils should understand how to increase personal safety while drinking alcohol, including reducing the risks of drink spiking and poisoning from substances such as methanol.

  The updated guidance includes a new section on personal safety, complements the national curriculum for science, and is supported by Oak academy RSHE resources aligned with guidance coming into effect in September 2026 (https://www.thenational.academy/teachers/programmes/rshe-pshe-secondary-ks3/units). Further lesson materials developed with partner organisations will reference the dangers of methanol poisoning and support education on managing risk and pressure, while schools retain flexibility to adapt teaching to local and wider public health issues.

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• 15 October 2025

  Petition closed

• 19 June 2025

  Government responded to this petition

  The statutory guidance for Health Education requires all pupils in state-maintained schools to be taught the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances.

  Read the response in full

  The statutory guidance for Health Education requires all pupils in state-maintained schools to be taught the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and the associated risks to physical and mental wellbeing, including smoking, alcohol use and drug-taking. Pupils should be taught that there are some legal substances that people sometimes misuse and that any substance used for purposes other than those intended can be dangerous and could even cause death.

  This complements content about substances within the national curriculum for science.

  In 2020, the Department published resources for schools, including a teacher training module on drugs, alcohol and tobacco, as part of a wider suite of teacher training materials: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-training-drugs-alcohol-and-tobacco.

  In addition, we have worked with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) and the PSHE Association to make sure good quality teaching resources are available for teachers delivering drug, alcohol and tobacco education. Lesson plans on drugs, alcohol and tobacco are available on the PSHE Association’s website: https://www.pshe-association.org.uk/curriculum-and-resources/resources/drug-and-alcohol-education-%E2%80%94-lesson-plans.

  Schools have the freedom to ensure the curriculum meets the needs of their pupils. This flexibility will allow schools to respond to local public health and wider community issues, including current global issues presented on the news, and adapt material and programmes to suit the needs of pupils.

  The RSHE statutory guidance is currently under review. The department is looking carefully at responses to the public the consultation conducted last year, considering the relevant evidence and discussing with stakeholders before setting out next steps to make sure the guidance draws from the best available evidence. As part of this process, the department will explore whether additional content is required.

  Department for Education

• 9 June 2025

  Government will respond to this petition

  This petition got more than 10,000 signatures meaning that government will respond to it.

• 15 April 2025

  Petition published

  This petition can now be signed.

  If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

  If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

  This petition will stay open until 15 October 2025.