Is alcoholism a medical condition?

It is reported that Charles Kennedy died in large part as a result of his excessive drinking over many years.  It is also reported - or at least implied - that his death may have been linked to his failure to be returned to parliament at the recent general election.  This is questionable, however, given that Kennedy had apparently been a heavy drinker for many years prior to his death.

Kennedy was an MP from 1983 to 2015, and was the leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1999 until 2006.  I met him once many years ago, and knew he was a cigarette smoker.  Reports of him having been a heavy drinker did not emerge until 2003, but were not confirmed until 2006.  Kennedy was replaced as Liberal Democrat leader by Ming Campbell, who was himself replaced by Nick Clegg the following year.

The former MP Lembit Opik has written of the ousting of Charles Kennedy from the Liberal Democrat leadership, and he concludes that:

Only Nick Clegg - and others - can explain what truly possessed them to dismiss Kennedy in the fateful winter of 2006.

I was under the impression that Opik supported Nick Clegg's leadership bid in 2007.  It is worth noting that Opik - having been elected to parliament in 1997 - held his seat in the general elections of 2001 and 2005 (when Kennedy led the party), but lost his seat in the 2010 general election (when Clegg was the leader).

Opik's commentary refers to alcoholism as a medical condition, but this is misleading.  The word medical derives ultimately from the Latin word for a physician, and so a medical condition is one we might reasonably approach a doctor about.  But what medical treatment is a doctor supposed to prescribe for a patient who drinks too much?

It occurs to me that about the time I met Charles Kennedy I also met a man who had previously been an alcoholic.  He gave up drinking - completely - after walking out of a pub one evening before closing time.  No medical intervention was required.

Opik also notes that: Alcoholism is not a choice, any more than other medical conditions are a choice.  Does he have any evidence to support this assertion?  Surely a lot of medical conditions are to some extent at least a matter of choice.  No one chooses to have cancer, but many people choose a lifestyle which makes it more likely that they will have cancer at some point.  No one chooses to suffer from food poisoning, but many people choose to eat food which is past its best before date.

If people do not choose to become alcoholics, then how is it that many people - whether or not they drink alcohol - manage to avoid becoming alcoholics?  If people do not choose to become alcoholics, then do people who are alcoholics choose to continue or to quit?  When an alcoholic quits drinking, is this a matter of choice?  Or does he quit because a doctor prescribed a medicine which cures him?

I will add that at the time Charles Kennedy was ousted as Liberal Democrat leader, Opik was dating Sian Lloyd, who has since accused him of having been a drunkard.  She notes that: The amount of alcohol MPs of all parties drank blew my mind.

Are we to believe that Opik was at this time suffering from a medical condition?  Or was he just being obnoxious?