GREENSBORO, N.C., Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Lorillard Tobacco Company, a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Lorillard, Inc. (NYSE: LO), today issued the
following letter that the Company had sent to The New York Times in
response to a recent editorial.

    The Times rejected the letter without a sufficient explanation,
reinforcing its unwillingness to present opposing viewpoints to its
readers. By doing so, The Times has failed to provide a balanced and fair
view of an important issue where an honest review would advance the debate.

    A copy of the original editorial is available at
http://www.nytimes.com/. The letter, written by Martin L. Orlowsky,
Chairman, President & CEO of Lorillard, Inc., was submitted to The Times
two working days following the editorial's publication, and reads as
follows:




    August 19, 2008

    Editor
    New York Times
    620 Eighth Avenue
    New York, NY 10018

    Dear Editor:
    Your editorial, "Smooth and Dangerous," (August 14, 2008), more
appropriately characterizes the concerted effort being undertaken to target
the companies that manufacture and market menthol cigarettes. It is simply
the latest example of a sophisticated campaign by paternalistic moralists
to take away a smoker's choice to smoke menthol cigarettes, or to smoke at
all, without regard for the facts or for sound science. It is all the more
dangerous because it portends the demise of individual choice.

    It comes as no surprise that your paper advocates the regulation of the
tobacco industry by the Food and Drug Administration. However, repeating
unsupported allegations about menthol to justify such FDA oversight is
simply irresponsible and undermines the integrity of the editorial process.
You claim in the editorial that "There is ample reason to suspect that
menthol may be harmful to many smokers and disproportionately harmful to
black Americans," but offer no scientific support. You claim that menthol
"would seem to make it easier for the tobacco industry to lure new smokers
and keep chronic smokers from quitting" but provide no proof. You state
that "Some experts worry that menthol cigarettes may be one reason why
blacks suffer disproportionately from tobacco related diseases," only to
immediately contradict yourself by noting that recent studies do not
support that claim.

    The fact is that the science does not support these claims. Bottom
line, and in your own words, "The [scientific] evidence [for the harmful
effects of menthol] so far is not conclusive." You admit that recent
scientific studies "have found no significant difference in the risk of
disease for smokers who use mentholated cigarettes and those who don't,"
yet you nonetheless advocate for a ban on menthol.

    Your attack on menthol is nothing more than an opportunity to gain your
ultimate end, the prohibition of all tobacco products and the establishment
of a tobacco free society. That is the reason you are using the menthol
issue to inflame passions along racial divides, and are making accusatory
statements without foundation. Whether to impose Prohibition on cigarettes
is a debate that we welcome, but it is a debate that needs to be waged on
facts and science. It is a debate that should be settled without
inflammatory and accusatory rhetoric. Editorials like yours only fan the
flames of racism and do not move the cause forward.

    The American people deserve to understand that if the anti-tobacco
establishment convinces Congress to first ban menthol and eventually outlaw
all tobacco, other powerful groups will follow to impose their idea of what
is good for us to eat, drink and think. Congress should realize that those
who support a ban on menthol and the unworkable regulation of tobacco that
is currently being considered are really just looking to further their real
agenda, and it won't stop with tobacco.



    Thank you.

    Martin L. Orlowsky
    Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer
    Lorillard, Inc.

    About Lorillard, Inc.

    Lorillard, Inc. (NYSE: LO), the parent company of Lorillard Tobacco
Company, is the third largest manufacturer of cigarettes in the United
States. Lorillard was founded in 1760, and is the oldest continuously
operating tobacco company in the U.S. Newport(R), Lorillard's flagship
brand, is a menthol-flavored premium cigarette brand and the top selling
menthol and second largest selling cigarette in the U.S. In addition to
Newport, the Lorillard product line has five additional brand families
marketed under the Kent(R), True(R), Maverick(R), Old Gold(R) and Max(R)
brand names. These six brands include 44 different product offerings which
vary in price, taste, flavor, length and packaging. Lorillard's
manufactures all of its products at its Greensboro, North Carolina facility
and maintains its headquarters there.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Certain statements made in this press release are "forward-looking"
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995, or the Reform Act. Forward-looking statements include, without
limitation, any statement that may project, indicate or imply future
results, events, performance or achievements, and may contain the words
"expect", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "will be",
"will continue", "will likely result", and similar expressions. In
addition, any statement that may be provided by management concerning
future financial performance (including future revenues, earnings or growth
rates), ongoing business strategies or prospects, and possible actions by
Lorillard, Inc. are also forward-looking statements as defined by the
Reform Act.

    Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and
projections about future events and are inherently subject to a variety of
risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Lorillard,
Inc., that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
anticipated or projected. Information describing factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking
statements is available in Lorillard, Inc.'s filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission. These filings are available from the SEC over the
Internet or in hard copy, and are, in some cases, available from Lorillard,
Inc. as well. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the time they are
made, and Lorillard, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking
to update these statements to reflect any change in expectations or beliefs
or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any
forward-looking statement is based.

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