22nd Century Group Supports FDA Nicotine Standard Projected To Avert 4.3M Deaths, $600B In Annual Harm; VLNC Products Could Replace Conventional Tobacco Within Two Years

- 22nd Century Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:XXII), the only tobacco products company that has for 27 years led and continues to lead the fight against the harms of smoking driven by nicotine addiction, today announced submission of public comments in support of the proposed "Tobacco Product Standard for Nicotine Yield of Cigarettes and Certain Other Combusted Tobacco Products," 90 Fed. Reg. 5032 (Jan. 16, 2025) ("Proposed Rule") by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration ("FDA"). The complete submission is available online at https://downloads.regulations.gov/FDA-2024-N-5471-4171/attachment_1.pdf.

In its submission, the Company noted the clear and consistent acknowledgement among medical professionals, researchers and even industry leaders that nicotine, the highly addictive substance in conventional tobacco products, is and always has been the driver of every harm and cost of cigarette smoking. The development and FDA authorization of Very Low Nicotine Content (VLNC) tobacco now makes it entirely feasible to produce conventionally flavored and consumer-acceptable combusted tobacco products that deliver a customary cigarette smoking experience with greatly reduced nicotine levels that comply with the proposed standard.