Recently I read an article in a popular magazine which gave an alarming stats on the amount of liquor consumption in a state with highest literacy rate and best quality of life index in India, Kerala. I was really shocked to see those numbers.
Total monetary turn-over for alcohol in Kerala - ~5538 Crore (2009-10) where as the state government's total expenditure for this fiscal is only ~4500 Crore.
Per-capita consumption of alcohol in Kerala 8.4 liters [highest in India following by Punjab with 7.9 liters]. The national average is about 2 liters against global average of 5 liters.
About 20% of hospital admissions in Kerala is related to alcohol related diseases. 40% of road accidents are due to drunken driving. 80% divorce cases is Kerala is due to alcohol abuse. 70% of cases reported to state police is related to alcohol.
The most alarming number is the age when people get initiated to drinking. The national average age for initiation into drinking stands at 19 years where as in Kerala this number is 13.5 years. 7-10% of regular drinkers are under 18 years of age and kids starts drinking at 9 years of age. School children even carry liquors to class rooms and get drunken even when the class is in progress.
It is high time the state government combine with the central government to begin down alcohol addiction in this state. Thanks to Alcoholics anonymous which is already helping the people of the state to come out this addiction to alcohol. More NGO's should come forward to help children to get out this addiction to alcohol.
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