Scratch card campaign highlights alcohol abuse

Chemists will hand out special scratch cards as part of a bid to tackle excessive drinking over the festive season.

Londoners can discover if they are boozing above “safe” limits by rubbing away silver panels on the Lottery-style cards.

Answering questions honestly gives them a “risk rating” based on how many units they consume in a day or in a session. The scheme begins today in 500 pharmacies across the capital and is backed by the Metropolitan Police, the GLA and NHS London.

About 1,700 Londoners die each year from the effects of alcohol abuse.

The cards have already proved successful in Portsmouth.

Dr Simon Tanner, director of public health at NHS London, said: “With this campaign we are offering people help in understanding how much they are drinking, so they can take action to protect their health and reduce the impact alcohol has on the health service and the community.”