22nd Century’s “Non- or Minimally-Addictive” Cigarettes Gaining Support of Leading Tobacco Scientists around the World
March 30 2017 - 9:50AM
Business Wire
Many Scientists at the 23rd Annual Meeting
of the Society for Research on Nicotine & Tobacco Support
Aggressive Nicotine Reduction Policies
22nd Century Group, Inc. (NYSE MKT:XXII), a plant biotechnology
company that is focused on tobacco harm reduction and cannabis
research, announced today that leading scientists published more
than 12 new studies involving 22nd Century’s Very Low Nicotine
(VLN) cigarettes at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Society for
Research on Nicotine & Tobacco (SRNT) held earlier this month
in Florence, Italy. The event was attended by leading tobacco
scientists and public health officials from around the world,
including acclaimed university scientists, representatives from the
FDA and other regulatory agencies, and tobacco industry
executives.
Increasingly, scientists are seeking to guide public policy
makers in the formation of laws that would mandate the adoption of
non-addictive levels of nicotine in cigarettes. In analyzing the
available science surrounding 22nd Century’s VLN tobacco, the World
Health Organization (WHO) Study Group on Tobacco Product Regulation
recommends limiting the nicotine in cigarettes to just 0.4mg/g “…a
nicotine content that is not sufficient to lead to the development
and/or maintenance of addiction.” 22nd Century is the only company
in the world capable of producing combustible tobacco cigarettes at
this very low level of nicotine – without any artificial extraction
or chemical processes.
Scientists contributing at the SRNT conference substantially
expanded the understanding of 22nd Century’s VLN tobacco and its
importance to smokers. This link from the SRNT.org website is to
the summaries of the initial results of all the scientific studies
that were presented at the SRNT Annual Meeting, including the
studies on the Company’s reduced nicotine tobacco (see abstract
numbers: SYM9, SYM10A, SYM10B, SYM10C, SYM10D, SYM32, SYM32A,
SYM32B, SYM32C, SYN32D, SYM28B, POS2-70, POS2-160, POS2-168).
Many of the presentations provided evidence in support of a
nicotine reduction policy in the United States and elsewhere.
Echoing the thinking of many of the scientists and regulators at
the conference, a U.S. team led by Dr. Neal Benowitz at The
University of California San Francisco (SYM10B) boldly concluded
that “Our data support the feasibility and safety of a
nation-wide policy to reduce the nicotine content of cigarettes to
non- or minimally-addictive levels.”
In researching the attitudes of current smokers, a team led by
Dr. Rachel Denlinger-Apte at Brown University (SYM32D) presented
data that “provide further evidence that smokers, especially those
interested in quitting, would support a NIC reduction policy.”
A multi-university team led by Dr. Tracey Smith at The
University of Pittsburgh (POS2-70) expanded on this nicotine
reduction policy theme and concluded that: “smokers who score
higher on measures of nicotine dependence are likely to experience
the greatest reductions in nicotine dependence as a result of a
reduction in the nicotine content of cigarettes.”
Several other studies using Very Low Nicotine cigarettes also
provided data in favor of a nicotine reduction policy, including a
study headed by Dr. Joseph Koopmeiners at The University of
Minnesota (SYM10C) that concluded that if smokers were compelled to
smoke very low nicotine cigarettes, after just six weeks the
average smoker “would smoke 5.13 fewer cigarettes per day.”
“As evidenced by this newest slate of impressive scientific
studies that were presented at the SRNT Annual Meeting in Florence,
22nd Century’s proprietary VLN cigarettes are a highly effective
tool in reducing smokers’ exposure to nicotine,” explained Henry
Sicignano III, President and Chief Executive Officer of 22nd
Century Group. “Called the ‘ultimate harm reduction strategy’ by
former FDA Commissioner Dr. David Kessler, cigarettes with non- or
minimally-addictive levels of nicotine are a tremendously important
product… whose time has come.”
About 22nd Century Group, Inc.
22nd Century is a plant biotechnology company focused on
technology which allows it to increase or decrease the level of
nicotine in tobacco plants and the level of cannabinoids in
cannabis plants through genetic engineering and plant breeding. The
Company’s primary mission is to reduce the harm caused by smoking.
22nd Century currently owns or exclusively controls more than 200
issued patents and more than 50 pending patent applications around
the world. Visit www.xxiicentury.com for more information.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press
release contains forward-looking information, including all
statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the
intent, belief or current expectations of 22nd Century Group, Inc.,
its directors or its officers with respect to the contents of this
press release, including but not limited to our future revenue
expectations. The words “may,” “would,” “will,” “expect,”
“estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend” and similar
expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify
forward-looking statements. We cannot guarantee future results,
levels of activity or performance. You should not place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as
of the date that they were made. These cautionary statements should
be considered with any written or oral forward-looking statements
that we may issue in the future. Except as required by applicable
law, including the securities laws of the United States, we do not
intend to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform
these statements to reflect actual results, later events or
circumstances, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated
events. You should carefully review and consider the various
disclosures made by us in our annual report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, filed on March 8, 2017,
including the section entitled “Risk Factors,” and our other
reports filed with the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission which
attempt to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that
may affect our business, financial condition, results of operation
and cash flows. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties
materialize, or if the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our
actual results may vary materially from those expected or
projected.
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22nd Century Group, Inc.Investor Relations:IRTH
CommunicationsAndrew Haag,
866-976-4784xxii@irthcommunications.com
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