UK Parliament home

Open Law to allow families to request compulsory assessment when addiction risks life

Created by Irene O'Reilly
Closes on

The Government should pass a Substance Abuse and Addiction Act. It should let families, with medical evidence and court oversight, request compulsory assessment when severe addiction risks life, ensure quicker treatment, better integrated services, more safeguards, and lawful early intervention.

Our country has high drug-related deaths. We view addiction as a chronic brain disorder that impairs judgement, impulse control, and risk awareness. Families often can't act early enough. Several other countries allow court-supervised early intervention. A UK Act would prioritise treatment, enable better safeguarding, and give families more legal tools to prevent avoidable deaths. We think the UK is behind other countries and we need laws changed to help families.

Sign this petition

204 signatures

Show on a map

10,000

Petition progress

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

  • 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 7 October 2026.