Lorillard Recalls Certain Newport Non-Menthol Packs

Lorillard Inc., the third largest manufacturer of cigarettes in the United States, said that it voluntarily implemented a precautionary recall of certain Newport Non-menthol cigarettes. The company initiated the recall “out of an abundance of caution” following its discovery that some Newport Non-Menthol cigarettes manufactured June 29 and 30, 2011, could contain small pieces of plastic.

The company sought and received guidance from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) upon discovering the foreign substance.

No plastic has been found in any of the cigarettes. If burned, the plastic may create discomfort or irritation of the respiratory tract. The recall is limited to products distributed with the following code numbers, which are located on the bottom of the pack:
Newport Non-Menthol Box 80s: 1-O-29-750, 1-O-30-750.
Newport Non-Menthol Box 100s: 1-O-29-440, 1-O-30-440.
No other Lorillard products are affected, including Newport Menthol and other brands, said the company.

A letter provided to CSP Daily News that Lorillard sent to all direct-buying customers on July 19 said, “We are pleased to inform you that all involved Newport Non-Menthol Box 80s and Newport Non-Menthol Box 100s manufactured on 6/29/2011 or 6/30/2011 located in Direct Account locations have now been identified and segregated. As such, all Direct Account customers may resume retail shipments of all other on-hand inventories of Newport Non-Menthol products that were not segregated and discussed with you.”

A letter sent to all retail customers said, “All public distributing warehouses and our direct buying customers have already segregated this product and therefore, any future shipments you
receive have no issue. We are, however, now asking for your assistance in identifying any involved Newport Non-Menthol product that may have reached your retail outlet.”

The company added, “Should you identify any Newport Non-Menthol product in your retail outlet with the involved lot codes please hold them separately from your other Newport Non-Menthol products and arrange to have them returned to your wholesale supplier. We have authorized your wholesale supplier to accept returns of Newport Non-Menthol with the above lot codes. Also, if any of your customers have purchased any Newport Non-Menthol product with the above lot codes and returned them to you please provide them with a full refund of the purchase price and return the product to your wholesale supplier.”

Greensboro, N.C.-based Lorillard, through its Lorillard Tobacco Co. subsidiary, is the third largest manufacturer of cigarettes in the United States. Founded in 1760, it is the oldest continuously operating U.S. tobacco company. Lorillard’s flagship menthol-flavored premium cigarette brand is the top-selling menthol and second largest selling cigarette in the United States. In addition to Newport, the Lorillard product line has four additional brand families marketed under the Kent cigarettes, True, Maverick and Old Gold brand names. These five brands include 43 different product offerings which vary in price, taste, flavor, length and packaging.