Kent cigarettes

Kent cigarettes were a brand sold by Lorillard Tobacco Company that, from 1952 to 1956, used a filter called the "Micronite" filter containing crocidolite asbestos, the most dangerous form of asbestos. An estimated 11.7 billion Kent cigarettes with asbestos filters were sold during this period, exposing smokers directly to inhaled asbestos fibers with every puff. The brand was marketed as a healthier alternative to other cigarettes, with advertising emphasizing the filter's protective qualities.

Origin

Kent cigarettes were introduced by Lorillard in 1952 and named after Herbert Kent, a Lorillard executive. The Micronite filter was developed in partnership with Hollingsworth & Vose, which supplied the asbestos-containing filter material. Lorillard quietly replaced the asbestos filter material in 1956 but continued to sell the Kent brand for decades afterward with a different filter.

Significance in Asbestos Context

Kent cigarettes are one of the clearest documented examples of consumer products that exposed the general public, not just industrial workers, to asbestos. Workers at the Hollingsworth & Vose plant in Massachusetts who manufactured the filters have developed mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases at elevated rates, and lawsuits have also been brought by smokers of original Micronite-filter Kents who later developed mesothelioma. If you or a family member smoked Kent cigarettes between 1952 and 1956, or worked in the factories that produced the filters, this exposure may be directly relevant to your claim. Lorillard and Hollingsworth & Vose have been named defendants in numerous mesothelioma cases tied to this product.

Example Sentence

During the intake interview, the paralegal asked whether the patient had ever smoked Kent cigarettes in the early 1950s, since the original Micronite filter contained crocidolite asbestos.

Related Terms

Crocidolite, Lorillard Tobacco Company, Hollingsworth & Vose, Consumer Product Exposure, Micronite Filter, Mesothelioma

Notes

• If you or a deceased family member smoked Kent cigarettes between March 1952 and mid-1956, document this exposure in writing for your legal team, including approximate dates, frequency, and any surviving packaging or photographs.
• Ask older relatives whether they remember the distinctive Kent packaging from this era; brand-specific memory is often important evidence when no physical product survives.
• Crocidolite (blue asbestos) is the most potent cause of mesothelioma among the asbestos fiber types, so even relatively short smoking histories with Micronite-filter Kents can be medically meaningful.
• Workers at the Hollingsworth & Vose Rochdale and West Groton, Massachusetts facilities, and their household contacts, have documented take-home and occupational exposures tied to filter manufacturing.
• Preserve any medical records that mention smoking history, as defense attorneys may attempt to attribute disease to general smoking rather than to the asbestos in the filter. Your legal team will want to address this directly.