Author: Matt McAuliffe

Governor Ned Lamont signed a bill Tuesday that raised the tobacco age from 18 to 21 years old. The bill includes a restriction on all things tobacco including vapes, cigars, cigarettes, and tobacco paraphernalia. The Tobacco 21 bill won passage in the house in mid-May and cleared the Senate two weeks leader.

This fall the states Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services are responsible for going into businesses and conducting compliance checks on tobacco dealers. If the dealers do not follow all of the rules included in the bill the first fine is up to 300 dollars, a second violation can be as much as 750 dollars, and up to 1,000 dollars for any following violation. Lamont and other law makers made sure to include in the state budget a 40 percent-per-milliliter tax on electronic cigarettes liquid, and 10 percent tax on the wholesale price of all vaping products in stores.

These types of increases on all things tobacco effect the businesses owners mostly. The businesses who distribute tobacco products rely on the younger population to purchase the products at a higher rate than the older population. Even though it helps keep dangerously addictive products out of the hands of youths, it does hurt some of the tobacco profits for certain businesses.

Connecticut is the 15th state and one of hundreds of towns to have passed a similar tobacco bill, and each state and town is looking to take an initiative to stop such addictive products to reach the hands of young citizens.

Over the past two weeks Quinnipiac has held flu shot clinics that were open to all students and faculty. Last week the clinics were held on York Hill and this week they were held in the student center from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. There was a line to get in the clinic, but many students do not fully commit to getting a shot.

According to a study done by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases 70 percent of college students want to get vaccinated, but on 46 percent actually go through with it. Also 36 percent of students say that they do not need it according to another study done by the N.F.I.D.

No matter how students feel about the flu shots they will be offered for the last time tomorrow on Quinnipiac’s campus from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Quinnipiac is set to open a podcast studio in the Center of Communications for all students to use. Students will be able to produce any type of podcast show that they want within the studio, and be able to book the room at any time. The podcast room is set to include a camera, a television set up, two microphones, a sound board, and four channel sound mixer.

The podcasting room is a new development to the school of communication after the closing of Hamden’s radio station WQUN. A few microphones have been given to the studio as a donation. The studio is also in the process of hiring a full time director to handle all of the room bookings, equipment, and to assist in producing some of the shows.

84-year-old Angela Disorbo was attacked by a raccoon while she was gardening at her own home. She claims that the raccoon came out of no where from around her shed. She said the raccoon then lunged towards her face, Disorbo put her hands up to defend herself and the raccoon then latched onto her hand.

Frightened Disorbo screamed, and luckily her daughter that lives with her heard the screams and came out to her rescue and called 911 immediately. The incident is currently being investigated by the Hamden Animal Control, and the raccoon is still on the loose and trying to be found.

On Monday afternoon, Quinnipiac University held a Fresh Check day right outside of the Arnold Bernard Library. Fresh Check day is an event available to students who want to unwind during mid-term season. Events that were included during this event was a meditation station, tables that included tips and tricks on how to deal with stress, and there were give aways for free gear. There were also raffles for bigger prizes, and free food for all of those who participated in Fresh Check day.

Fresh Check day has been an annual event on Quinnipiac’s campus for several years now, and students have used it to get a quick escape from studying in the library.