July 18, 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

Man Arrested in Brentwood for Impersonating Firefighter During Palisades Fire

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

The suspect faces at least 28 criminal counts—including 23 felonies—spanning incidents from 2023 to May 2025 Federal and local law...

Study Highlights Economic Impact of Cap-and-Trade Extension in Los Angeles

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders are pushing to reauthorize the program this year, citing its role in generating 287,000...

Nearly $1B Secured for Refinancing of Westfield Century City Mall

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

The proceeds will replace a $925 million commercial mortgage-backed securities loan, originally issued by Morgan Stanley in 2023 and due...

West Coast Premiere of ‘The Opposite of Love’ Opens at Hudson Backstage Theatre

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

Produced by Neil Gooding Productions, behind shows like Back to the Future: The Musical, the play runs Thursdays through Saturdays...

Tesla Seen Nearly Crashing into West LA Home After Collision

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

Footage depicted a blue Prius on the road with significant front-end damage A crash involving injuries was reported around 12:30...

DUI Checkpoints to be Conducted Across LA This Weekend

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The LAPD selects checkpoint sites based on data indicating high incidents of impaired driving-related crashes and arrests The Los Angeles...

Mayor Bass Hails National Guard Withdrawal as Victory for Unity

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The Pentagon’s decision to reduce the troop presence follows weeks of legal challenges and public demonstrations Mayor Karen Bass celebrated...

(Video) Did You Know Emma Chamberlain’s Coffee Shop is in Century City?

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The outpost is a first for the popular influencer Did You Know Emma Chamberlain’s Coffee Shop is in Century City?...

Dodgers to Host Back to School Bash for Fire-Affected Families

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The free event will offer free groceries, school supplies, outfits, haircuts, medical screenings, and carnival rides The Los Angeles Dodgers...

Hundreds of Red-Legged Frog Tadpoles Released in Santa Monica Mountains

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

Once widespread in California, red-legged frogs vanished from the Santa Monica Mountains by the 1970s Nearly 600 California red-legged frog...

LA Sees Second Straight Year of Homelessness Decline, Leaders Celebrate Progress

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The survey, designed by the University of Southern California, reported a 17.5% drop—the largest two-year decrease on record The Los...

Westwood Village Board to Discuss Public Art Initiative

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

The initiative aims to enhance community pride, boost local business revenue, and address urban blight through public art corridors and...

Beverly Hills Plans Major Apartment Development Near Civic Center

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

The site, currently holding 13 residential units, is slated for demolition to make way for the new development A proposal...

Federal Judge Sides with Santa Monica, Other Local Governments Against Immigration Raids

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete praised the ruling, saying it reaffirmed the city’s commitment to protecting residents from unjust detention...

California Hits Two-Thirds Clean Energy Milestone

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

This year, clean energy has powered the state for an average of seven hours daily, with over 90% of days...