The Heights, Jan. 27, 2025 by The Heights

January 27, 2025

Newton Passes Generational Tobacco Ban The law prevents the sale of tobacco products to anyone born on or after March 1, 2004. By Laney McAden Assoc. Newton Editor

Newton City Council prohibited the sale of tobacco products to people born on or after March 1, 2004, in its meeting on Tuesday. Adults who are currently 21 or older will be allowed to continue

buying the products, but anyone born after March 1, 2004, will never be permitted to buy tobacco or e-cigarettes in Newton, regardless of their age. The law is intended to create a “nicotine free generation”, according to Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller. In a newsletter sent Sunday,

Fuller said that she and Shin-Yi Lao, Newton’s commissioner of health and human services, believe the ordinance is an important tool in reducing the harm caused by tobacco products. “There is no safe amount of nicotine,” Fuller wrote. “Nicotine is harmful at all ages. Nicotine is

the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States.” Brookline was the first municipality in Massachusetts to pass a “generational ban” law related to tobacco. In 2020, the city banned the sale of tobacco products and e-cigarettes

to individuals born on or after Jan. 1, 2000. Since the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court upheld Brookline’s new bylaw amendment in March, several towns across Massachusetts have created similar laws,

See Tobacco Ban, A2

Shattering Stigma at BC's Prison Education Program By Kate Kissel Assoc. Magazine Editor

CHRIS TICAS / HEIGHTS SENIOR STAFF

Terriers, Eagles, and a Comm. Ave. Killing The Eagles started the game a man up, thanks to a bench penalty called on BU before the puck dropped.

By Maria Stefanoudakis Sports Editor

Students began lining up outside Conte Forum several hours before the highly anticipated rivalry game between No. 1 Boston College men’s hockey and No. 8 Boston University. As soon as the game actually began, though, the Eagles didn’t leave their fans waiting—not even for a minute. “When you have people lined up at nine in the morning, it’s honoring to have a fan base like that, and makes our job easy,” Ryan Leonard said. Twenty-four seconds was all it took for Eagles fans to see what they had waited all afternoon for, as a Leonard miss-turned-Teddy Stiga goal set the crowd on fire, making Conte even louder

than it already was. Leonard flew up the right side of the ice and sent the puck right at BU goaltender Mikhail Yegorov. Although Yegorov stopped Leonard’s attempt, he couldn’t do the same to Stiga’s, as the rookie sliced the rebound into BU’s net for his ninth goal of the season and fifth in six games. After dominating Friday night’s matchup and beating the Terriers (13–9–1, 9–5–1 Hockey East) 6–2 down the road at Agganis Arena, the Eagles (18–4–1, 10–3–1) started Saturday’s game at home a man up, thanks to a bench penalty called on BU before the puck had even dropped.

See Saturday's Game, A10

In the United States today, approximately 1.8 million people are behind bars, and less than 5 percent of them will complete a college degree, according to recent statistics. This leaves many grappling with fewer opportunities and a tougher road to financial stability once they are released. The Boston College Prison Education Program (BCPEP) is changing this outlook, one philosophy class at a time. As the largest prison education program in Massachusetts, BCPEP offers inmates at MCI-Shirley, a medium-security men’s prison in Shirley, Mass., the chance to obtain a liberal

BC Breaks Gound on New Religious Archives Building The Brighton Campus facility will preserve records and other archival materials from Catholic religious orders. See A2

See Prison Education, A8

CONNOR O'BRIEN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Annual Women's Summit Rebranded as BC Summit By Annika Engelbrecht News Editor

COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

arts education. Upon completing their sentences, students can continue their education and complete their degrees on campus at the Woods College of Advancing Studies. For participants like Nurudeen Alabi, the program has made all the difference. “When you are in a difficult position but find someone who doesn't judge you and tries to teach you, and even tries to learn from you, it is an amazing thing that can change your life, that can put you on the right path,” Alabi said. “And that's what they're doing. That's what their goal is.”

Rachel Scott, the senior congressional correspondent for ABC News, will deliver the keynote address at the Boston College Summit conference on Feb. 1. Formerly known as the Women’s Summit, the annual event is sponsored by the Women’s Center. It was renamed this year to focus on intersectionality and promote self-awareness, according to its website. “Summit is for everyone—no matter how you identify,” said Kayla Edwards, a Women’s Center graduate assistant and LGSOE ’26. Scott extensively covered the 2024 Republican primaries and President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign. Her past work reporting on the effects of the Roe v. Wade decision earned her recognition from the Peabody Awards program. In 2021, she won a Peabody Award for her

work on ABC Nightline, and in 2023, she and anchor Diane Sawyer earned a nomination for Impact x Nightline’s “On the Brink.” In 2020, Scott was on the ground covering the protests sweeping the nation regarding police brutality and COVID-19’s effects on communities of color. Scott also covered key stories on Capitol Hill, including Trump’s second impeachment trial and confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Ketanji Brown Jackson. One reason Scott was selected for the keynote address was her ability to connect with diverse communities, said Ava Estrada, a member of the summit planning committee and MCAS ’27. “She is just such a force, but her commencement address will mostly be about the power of failure,” Estrada said. “So I think now that we are more focused on this intersectionality, I think she is such a way to bring this to light.”

Magazine

Opinions

A walk to the gym is tough in this weather. Staff Writer CaraLynn Caulfield walks you through the workouts you can do from the comfort of your dorm room.

It's been said that opposites attract—but to what extent? Columnist Mary Perez explores the laws of attraction and their occasional exceptions.

See BC Summit, A2

Campus School Community Stuns at Annual Art Showcase

See A6

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

NEWS........... A2 A R T S . . . . . . . A6 NEWTON....... A3 MAGAZINE. A8 O P I N I O N S . . A4 S P O R TS . . . . . A10