Kent Micronite

1952-1956

If there’s one thing cigarettes aren’t, it’s healthy. Kent cigarettes thought they struck gold in 1952 when they unveiled the  “greatest health protection in cigarette history”, an innovative new filter called Micronite. The secret ingredient of this innovation? A hearty dose of asbestos, straight to the lungs.

This wasn’t just your typical cancer causing asbestos. No no, this was a particularly even more dangerous form of it. Adding insult to injury, medical doctors suggested these “healthier cigarettes” to patients who needed to reduce or quit smoking. The Micronite filters were perfect for the “sensitive smoker” who was concerned about their health.

Sadly, the health dangers of asbestos were known as early as 1924, but many asbestos manufacturers kept the health risks secret. It wasn’t until the 70’s that the cancer causing warnings were taken seriously in the USA. 

Unsurprisingly, the company behind Kent Cigarettes was still fighting lawsuits up until 2018. 

Additional info:

The Los Angeles Times - Smoking’s Asbestos Episode : The carcinogen was used in Kent filters in 1952-56. Now the company faces lawsuits of a sort never seen in the industry

Asbestos.com - Asbestos and Kent Micronite Cigarettes