Tobacco Asia article puts tobacco executives
on notice
22nd Century Group, Inc. (NYSE American: XXII), a plant
biotechnology company focused on tobacco harm reduction and Very
Low Nicotine tobacco, announced today that The Washington Examiner
published an op-ed article by James Vail, Director of
Communications, and Juan Sanchez Tamburrino, Ph.D. Vice President
of Research and Development, at 22nd Century.
The article calls for the U.S. Congress, tobacco control
advocates, and the American people “to ensure that the FDA’s
nicotine reduction plan quickly becomes reality.” Dr. Scott
Gottlieb, Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA),
has stated that the FDA’s efforts to lower nicotine in cigarettes
will be based on science. Since 2011 the National Institutes of
Health (NIH), in cooperation with the FDA, has funded dozens of
important clinical studies employing 22nd Century’s Very Low
Nicotine Content (VLNC) cigarettes. The results of these numerous
clinical studies provide independent scientific support for the
FDA's planned rule to require that all cigarettes sold in the
United States contain only minimally or non-addictive levels of
nicotine. Citing the many completed clinical studies using VLNC
cigarettes, the article succinctly and concisely summarizes the
important results:
“scientists have found that VLNC cigarettes
reduce cravings, reduce consumption of cigarettes, and increase
quit attempts. Further, the benefits of VLNC cigarettes appear to
extend to adolescents, nondaily smokers, and vulnerable population
groups, including those with psychiatric disorders and opioid
dependence.”
An often-repeated but erroneous objection to the FDA’s planned
nicotine reduction mandate is that VLNC cigarettes will lead to
“compensation” – i.e. cigarettes with minimally or non-addictive
levels of nicotine will drive smokers to consume more cigarettes.
Vail and Tamburrino conclusively address this misconception by
citing the work of preeminent independent tobacco scientists:
“Neal Benowitz, et al. recently coauthored a
letter to the FDA that emphatically closed the door on the myth
that smokers might smoke more if cigarettes were minimally or
non-addictive: ‘Effectively compensating to maintain nicotine
exposure is virtually impossible when switching to cigarettes with
minimally addictive nicotine content.’” (emphasis added)
In responding to the FDA’s Advanced Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (ANPRM) for a mandate that will require that all
cigarettes sold in the United States contain only minimally or
non-addictive levels of nicotine, twelve prominent United States
Senators urged the FDA to set an aggressive deadline for rulemaking
and implementation of a reduced nicotine standard, proclaiming “the
FDA can help save millions of lives and positively impact public
health for generations to come.”
Separately, in an article published in Tobacco Asia on July 26,
2018, author Thomas Schmid gives voice to the likely fears of many
tobacco insiders when he writes:
“The question on many tobacco firm
executives’ minds around the world also is whether the FDA rule is
going to have a domino effect. Historically, many countries –
particularly in Europe – have regularly felt compelled to follow
suit with their own corresponding rules whenever FDA had enacted an
important new regulation.”
Indeed, conventional tobacco control methods may have reached
their limits. Australian smokers endure the world’s most aggressive
tobacco control laws, including a ban on all marketing, mandated
plain white packaging, a prohibition on store displays, and the
highest taxes in the world. A pack of cigarettes in Australia costs
more than USD $20. Yet, from the years 2013 to 2016, the smoking
rate in Australia remained virtually unchanged.
“The FDA’s plan to limit nicotine in cigarettes is moving
forward rapidly in the United States; at the same time, the World
Health Organization is advocating for equally bold nicotine
reduction measures around the world,” explained Henry Sicignano
III, President and Chief Executive Officer of 22nd Century Group.
“With continued pressure from lawmakers, the FDA, public health
advocates, and the public at large, smokers everywhere may soon be
free from the addictive power of nicotine.”
About the Washington Examiner
The Washington Examiner provides news, investigative reporting,
commentary and analysis focused on Washington, D.C. with a monthly
circulation of 40,000 print and 4 million unique online
viewers.
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
hemp/cannabis plants through genetic engineering and plant
breeding. The Company’s primary mission in tobacco is to reduce the
harm caused by smoking. The Company’s primary mission in
hemp/cannabis is to develop proprietary hemp strains for important
new medicines and agricultural crops. Visit www.xxiicentury.com and
www.botanicalgenetics.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, 2017, filed on March 7, 2018,
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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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180731005782/en/
22nd Century GroupJames Vail, 716-270-1523Director of
Communicationsjvail@xxiicentury.com
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