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Beatrice R.’s Story						Español (Spanish)							Print
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										BeatriceMeet Beatrice R.Beatrice, age 40, lives in New York. She is the mother of two boys and formerly served in the U.S. Navy. Beatrice tried her first cigarette at age 7, her second at 11, and then began smoking menthol cigarettes regularly when she was 13. She had friends who smoked, and she wanted to be “cool” like them.
More than 25 years later, Beatrice still smoked menthol cigarettes. She was not a person who smoked heavily, nor had she been diagnosed with any smoking-related health problems, but she still wanted to quit. Her family also wanted her to quit. Although she had tried many times before, in 2010, Beatrice quit for good. She encourages anyone who wants to quit smoking to do it—but to get help if they need it.On This Page
			Beatrice R.'s VideosBeatrice R.'s BiographyMore About Beatrice R.Additional ResourcesMore Related Stories
		
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Asian Smokers’ Quitlineexternal iconBeatrice R.’s VideosBeatrice R.’s StoryLow Resolution Video
Beatrice’s son, Nick, wrote her a letter urging her to quit smoking. In this video from CDC’s *Tips From Former Smokers*® campaign, she tells how this act of love gave her the courage to end a lifelong addiction to menthol cigarettes.Beatrice R.: “I Told Everyone I Stopped Smoking”Low Resolution Video
Beatrice describes some of the techniques she used to recognize and avoid her smoking triggers that helped her to quit smoking. Even though it was hard to do, by making a plan and sticking to it, she beat her addiction to menthol cigarettes and stopped smoking for good. This video is part of CDC’s campaign, *Tips From Former Smokers*®.Cessation Tips AdLow Resolution Video
You can quit smoking! This inspiring TV ad features Beatrice, James and Wilma — three people who successfully quit smoking after many years. They share their practical tips on how to quit for good in this commercial from CDC’s *Tips From Former Smokers*® campaign.On This Page
			Beatrice R.'s VideosBeatrice R.'s BiographyMore About Beatrice R.Additional ResourcesMore Related Stories
		
Free Quitting ResourcesTelephone
1-800-QUIT-NOW
1-855-DÉJELO-YA (Español)
1-800-838-8917 (中文)
1-800-556-5564 (한국어)
1-800-778-8440 (Tiếng Việt)Smartphone Apps/Text
Text QUITNOW to 333888—Message and data rates may apply
quitSTART appexternal iconWeb
Quit Smoking (En Español)
Smokefree.govexternal icon (En Español)
Asian Smokers’ Quitlineexternal iconPersons with disabilities experiencing problems accessing these videos should contact CDC-INFO at CDC-INFO email form: https://www.cdc.gov/info, 800-232-4636 or the TTY number at (888) 232-6348 and ask for a 508 Accommodation PR#9342. If emailing please type “508 Accommodation PR#9342” without quotes in the subject line of the email. Please include the URL of the site in the Subject line of your email request that you would like to access.
View more *Tips*videosTop of PageBeatrice R.’s Biography
Beatrice, who formerly served in the U.S. Navy and is the mother of two boys, lives in New York. She tried her first cigarette at age 7, her second at 11, and then began smoking regularly when she was 13. She had friends who smoked, and she wanted to be “cool” like them.
Beatrice
More than 25 years later, Beatrice still smoked menthol cigarettes. She was not a person who smoked heavily nor had she been diagnosed with any smoking-related health problems, but she still wanted to quit. Her family also wanted her to quit. Although she had tried many times before, in 2010 Beatrice quit for good.
“When my son was 11, he wrote me a letter in which he asked me to quit smoking,” says Beatrice. “And when I was going through the process of quitting, that letter was very motivating for me. I want to be here for my family.”
Beatrice smoked half a pack of menthol cigarettes every day. She says quitting was difficult and that she needed help. She used patches and other medicines to help ease withdrawal symptoms, and she would always look at her son’s letter if she needed an extra reminder of her reasons for staying smokefree.
Beatrice, now 40, has more energy than when she smoked, and she cooks more—because food tastes so much better. She encourages anyone who wants to quit smoking to do it—but to get help if they need it. Beatrice found additional support online from friends who encouraged her to stay smokefree, as well as from her family. “You’re going to need support, because it’s not always easy,” she says, “but the main thing is, you really have to want to quit.”
On her participation in the *Tips From Former Smokers*® campaign, Beatrice says, “I want to offer hope to people that it is possible for you to join the ranks of nonsmokers.”
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More About Beatrice R.Beatrice's Print Ad - EnglishPrint AdBeatrice R.'s Tip [PDF – 211K]Top of PageAdditional Resourcesmenthol cigarettesMenthol CigarettesGet the Factspharmacist with patientQuit Smoking MedicinesTop of PageMore Related Stories
More real stories about people who have quit smoking:JamesMeet James F.Tiffany R.Meet Tiffany R.Rico F.Meet Rico F.Wilma S.Meet Wilma S.John B.Meet John B.Angie P.Meet Angie P.See all *Tips*Participant StoriesTop of Page
							
					
							Last Reviewed:  July 26, 2023						Source: 	Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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