[2] Widely recognized by many as the first popular filtered cigarette, Kent was introduced by the Lorillard Tobacco Company in 1952[3] around the same time a series of articles entitled "cancer by the carton", published by Reader's Digest,[4] scared American consumers into seeking out a filter brand at a time when most brands were filterless.

[5]) Kent widely touted its "famous micronite filter" and promised consumers the "greatest health protection in history".

[6] Kent continued to grow until the late 1960s, then began a long, steady decline as more filtered cigarette brands promising even lower tar (and appealing to smokers' desires for a "safer" smoke) were introduced.

Obviously, the black market was thriving at the time, as most Kents were being smuggled in by those relatively few Romanians who were allowed to travel abroad (sea and air crew, diplomatic staff, etc.

Kent is or was sold in the following countries: Jordan, Belgium, Brazil, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Greece, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Poland, Romania, Israel, Moldova, Czech Republic, Croatia, Iraq, Albania, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Egypt, South Africa, Syria, Iran, United States, Kosovo, Mexico, El Salvador, Chile, Turkey, Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Vietnam, Australia, Singapore, Mongolia, China, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Japan and South Korea.