Alcoholism Council To Hand Out Local Bottle Blocker Invention

A new device my a local inventor that prevents minors from opening liquor bottles has caught the attention of the The Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, which plans to distribute these "Bottle Blockers" to support the business.

The Bottle Blocker is the brainchild of Nesconset inventor Richard Michiel, who created the tamper-proof device to fit on any bottle with a neck such as liquor and pill bottles.

In return for the LICADD selling the devices, the organization will get 20 percent of the proceeds to support its own programs to stem underage drinking and drug abuse.

“Parents who use Bottle Blocker will send a clear message to their kids that they won’t tolerate underage drinking and violation of the device will give them the opportunity to address alcohol abuse before it spirals into a more serious problem," organization Executive Director Jeffrey Reynolds said in a statement.

In January, the inventor told Patch he was driven to build the device by the staggering stats on adolescent alcohol abuse.

"They don’t drink socially like we would have a drink just to feel good and comfortable while you’re talking, they binge drink because they’re still at that point where they think that they’re vulnerable. They don’t realize the damages that they’re doing to themselves,” Michiel said.

The device is fairly simple. A cap of latex fits over the bottle top, and then a locking tie is used to secure it in place. Someone would have to cut off the Bottle Blocker to get into the bottle.

SEE HOW IT WORKS.