What makes Kerala top the "Highest liquor consuming State" list in India?

In Kerala Alcoholism is an issue, that is true.
But it is gradually coming down as the availability of the same is less now. Numbers from the Kerala State Beverages Corporation analyzed by the Alcohol and Drug Information Center (AIDIC), show that alcohol consumption dropped by 20.27 per cent since April 2014, this in a market that registered an annual growth of 12 per cent to 67 per cent for the last 30 years.

Image courtesy - NDTV
ALCOHOLISM BASICS
Alcoholism is an individual problem. Alcoholism is a problem that at best happens among a very small group of people, if not at an individual level, mostly in private places. To that extent alcoholism is more closer to a marital infidelity issue than a road accident problem.
Based on alcohol consumption experts classify the population into

• an abstainer, someone who does not consume alcohol,
• a social drinker, someone who drinks occasionally that too in limited quantity,
• a binger, someone who is an abuser of alcohol, who drinks large quantity of alcohol per session very frequently
• a dependent, a person who is alcohol dependent and is in the later stages of chronic alcoholism.

Who wins the 1st price is not the issue?

• According to WHO, about 30% of Indians consume alcohol, out of which 4-13% are daily consumers and up to 50% of these, fall under the category of hazardous drinking.
• Nearly 25% of the road accidents are under the influence of alcohol and it is also a significant risk factor for increased domestic violence.
• The rapid rise in alcohol consumption is also not without any economic ramifications. A developing nation, for instance, loses around 1% of its annual output due to lost productivity of drunken workers.

Image - The Hindu
Though there are contradicting reports as to which state tops the list, WHO seems to go by its own set of data making Kerala the state which loves its drink or two.
But, NSSO seems to give away this most coveted place to Andhra Pradesh making this the biggest consumer of alcohol. During the pre-Telangana period, Andhra seems to have taken to drinking with much passion, downing almost 34.5 litres of liquor per year, against Kerala where people drank only 10.2 liters per year.
As the availability reduced the consumption also came down, the present LDF government is focusing on a social change which could only make it lasting. Hence to know the reasons is importtant.

• Income

Income seems to be the most influencing factor in encouraging the drinking binge. When the upper middle class or the rich are taken into consideration, the number only falls for a brief while before rising by a good 5% in terms of consuming alcohol.

• Unemployment

Kerala tops in Unemployment in India. Heavy drinking is associated with a weaker probability of employment, more absence from work, as well as lower productivity and wages. The overall value of production lost to harmful alcohol use is estimated in the region of 1% of GDP in high- and middle-income countries.

• Glamorising binge drinking

For many a Malayalee getting tipsy is the endpoint of all drinking sessions. In many Malayalee drinking sessions finishing a glass of liquor in one gulp is a common scene. So the problem is not only that a Malayalee drinks too much but also that he does not know the graceful way of savouring a drink. Hence he consume more than what the res. This is seen as a macho thing and those who drink more is the winner.

• Social cost of alcoholism

In Kerala it is socially acceptable to drink alcohol at a public function, appear drunk in public or smell of alcohol. It is an accepted norm and no one cares about it as a social issue except when it affects the family and work.

• Emotional cost of alcoholism.

A father who indulges in binge drinking and makes a fool of himself in parties, lose the respect of his children. Those type of fathers will also lose the moral authority to tell his children not to indulge in any wrong doings including alcoholism. When the child grows up he follows the same path.
It will take time for the attitude of society to change, but with effective public participation and the appropriate measures from the future seems to be promising.
Reference
Kerala sets a record by reducing alcohol consumption
Why Prohibition will not solve Kerala’s Alcoholism problem
India’s biggest drinkers (if you are interested in finding the winners)
Alcohol consumption rising fast in India: OECD report