"Since quitting, my life is better in 1,000 ways."
Hometown: Concord
Year quit: 1980
At the age of 14, Representative Atkins began smoking socially. Her casual habit eventually became a three pack per day addiction. Over the years, she tried to stop every Monday for “hundreds of Mondays,” she recalls. It was support through group counseling that helped her quit for good. Today, Representative Atkins says quitting gave her freedom and she feels like she can do anything.
