Cocktail Condoms
They’re protective covers that go over your drink and “protect” against someone trying to slip a Mickey Finn (or whatever they’re called these days):
The concept behind the cocktail cover is fairly simply. About the size of a coaster, it can be used to cap a drink that goes unattended. When a person returns to a beverage, there is a layer that can be pulled back, leaving a thin sheath protecting the cocktail. That can be punctured with a straw or pulled off entirely—either way the drinker will know that the cocktail has not been tampered with.
I’m sure there are many ways to defeat this security device if you’re so inclined: a syringe, affixing a new cover after you tamper with the drink, and so on. And this is exactly the sort of rare risk we’re likely to overreact to. But to me, the most interesting aspect of this story is the agenda. If these things become common, it won’t be because of security. It will be because of advertising:
Barry said that companies could advertise on the cocktail covers, likely covering the cost of production. Each cover, he said, costs less than 10 cents to make.
Anonymous • June 25, 2007 7:03 AM
Bruce wrote: “And this is exactly the sort of rare risk we’re likely to overreact to.”
I wish it were that rare but it’s not.
Furthermore, consider the balancing act. Balance the risk on one hand, versus the results if the risk happens plus the costs to prevent on the other. The result of a mickey finn is generally rape plus possible STD, plus, for women, possible pregnancy – very bad result. The cost to prevent, using the drink cover, is cheap. Sounds like a good deal to me.