June 4, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

Tobacco Company Puts Sales Over Safety, Contributes to Former Navy Captain’s Death

 

Lorillard Cigarette Co. is being sued by the widow of a victim.
Lorillard Nicotine Co. is being sued by the widow of a victim.

Lorillard Tobacco Co. put sales over safety in marketing its cigarettes, a strategy that contributed to the death at age 55 of
a former Navy captain whose widow is suing the tobacco manufacturer for negligence, an attorney told a Los Angeles Superior Court jury today.

Lawyer Gilbert Purcell said in his opening statement in trial of Palos Verdes Estates resident Tajie Major’s lawsuit that internal Lorillard documents from as far back as the mid-1970s show the company’s researchers knew about the dangers of cigarette smoking and were also aware of the addictive powers of nicotine.

“Whenever you’re exposed to nicotine, your brain is changed,” said Purcell, whose 69-year-old client’s husband died of lung cancer in July 1998.

Lorillard attorney Carl Rowley countered that William Major knew from the time he was a young man that cigarette smoking could possibly affect one’s health.

“He was aware of the dangers from smoking from discussions with his mother back in 1962,” Rowley told the jury. “Every pack he smoked had warnings on them.”

But William Major kept smoking until 1989, Rowley said.

“There is no evidence he wanted to quit smoking,” Rowley said. “People are free to do dangerous things.”

Purcell acknowledged that smoking Lorillard products Kent and Newport were not the only reasons William Major acquired lung cancer in 1997 and died less than a year later. He said the man at times smoked products made by Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds, and was exposed to second-hand smoke from his father’s cigarettes and possibly to asbestos while serving in the Navy.

But Purcell said more than 400,000 people die each year in the United States from cigarette smoking, which causes more than just cancer.

“It’s linked to diseases of nearly all organs in the body,” Purcell said.

Purcell said that although the technology exists to make safer cigarettes, manufacturers worry that fewer consumers will buy their products if the taste is negatively affected. He also said that cigarettes with less tar are deceptively sold as being safer products.

Cigarettes from more than a century ago, in which users themselves rolled paper over tobacco, were not as dangerous as today’s mass-produced products, Purcell said.

Lorillard, founded in the 1700s, bills itself as the oldest continually operating tobacco company in the U.S, he said.

When William Major entered college, cigarette smoking was popular, the attorney said.

“Smoking was everywhere, it was a social norm,” Purcell said.

Rowley denied that Lorillard wants to keep its consumers addicted.

“Lorillard does not add nicotine to its commercial cigarettes,” Rowley said. “It all comes from the tobacco leaf.”

Rowley said Lorillard’s products are not defective and not negatively designed. But he said users such as William Major knew of the risks involved in smoking.

“There is no such thing as a safe cigarette,” Rowley said.

Related Posts

(Video) Some of the Damage Caused By Vandals at Malibu High School Overnight

June 4, 2025

June 4, 2025

40 to 50 people, who are suspected to be students or recent alumni, used eggs, flour, and markers to deface...

Biggest Night of the Year: Don’t Miss GMCLA’s ‘Dancing Queens’

June 3, 2025

June 3, 2025

Culminating its 46th season, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles will grace the crowd with Dancing Queens, celebrating iconic...

Driver Arrested for Suspected DUI After Rollover Crash in West Los Angeles

June 3, 2025

June 3, 2025

One Person Hospitalized, Light Pole Smashed After Late-Night Collision One driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI, and another person...

Pluto TV and Oscar-Winning Director Sean Baker Team Up to Host Free Weekend Screenings

June 3, 2025

June 3, 2025

Popcorn Challenge Interactive Event Set for Westfield Century City Mall  The historic Gardena Cinema, one of the last single-screen, family-operated...

Former ‘Real Housewives’ Husband Sentenced to Over 7 Years for $15 Million Client Fraud 

June 3, 2025

June 3, 2025

Federal Judge Rejects Plea for Medical Placement, Orders Restitution and Prison Time Disgraced former attorney Tom Girardi was sentenced Tuesday...

Malibu High Targeted in Overnight Vandalism Spree; Investigation Underway

June 3, 2025

June 3, 2025

Destruction on Campus Prompts Sheriff’s Probe; Students May Face Charges Vandals caused extensive damage to the school property of Malibu...

A Season of Gratitude: After One Year in Business, Urban Jungle Continues Making its Mark

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Over the last year, Urban Jungle, an indoor and tropical plants nursery, has continued its mission to cultivate a place...

The soul’s greatest hits

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

From ‘Ave Maria’ to ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ and ‘Ode to Joy,” a Santa Monica concert raising funds to help fire victims...

LAPD Increases Security at Jewish Sites Following Colorado Flamethrower Attack

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Officials Ramp Up Patrols and Plan Emergency Response as Shavuot Concludes. Security outside Jewish institutions in Los Angeles has been...

The Peabody Awards Celebrate Bold Storytelling and Social Impact at Beverly Hills Gala

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Honorees Including Baby Reindeer, Shōgun, and The Only Doctor at In-Person Ceremony The Peabody Awards held their awards ceremony Sunday...

Chamber Music Palisades Presents an Afternoon of Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, and More

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Brentwood Hosts Free Classical Concert with LA Philharmonic Greats Chamber Music Palisades will present a free community concert on Saturday,...

Massive Fire Engulfs Auto Shop, Shuts Down 10 Freeway Eastbound Lanes

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Explosions, Thick Smoke, and Downed Power Lines Disrupt Traffic in Palms A fast-moving fire broke out Sunday behind a commercial...

Culver City to Frame Iconic Tree with Landmark Sculpture by Charles Gaines

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Acclaimed Conceptual Artist’s Public Artwork Enters Final Phase Culver City is moving forward with the final phase of an ambitious...

Alpine Floor & Home: A Legacy of Quality Since 1968

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Founded in 1968 with a single location, Alpine Floor & Home began as a humble family business with a clear...

Actress Cameron Diaz Slashes Price on Beverly Crest Estate to $16.5 Million

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Modern Farmhouse in Beverly Crest Returns to Market with Lower Price Tag Cameron Diaz has reduced the asking price of...