Benzinga | Dec 10, 2021 09:21AM EST

22nd Century Ready To Provide Full Commercial Support To New Zealand's Plan To Reduce Nicotine Content Of All Cigarettes

22nd Century Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:XXII), a leading agricultural biotechnology company focused on tobacco harm reduction, reduced nicotine tobacco, and improving health and wellness through plant science, announced today that it is fully engaged and ready to provide commercial support to the New Zealand Ministry of Health's Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Action Plan, including supplying reduced nicotine content combustible cigarettes able to meet New Zealand's proposed standards.

The final version of the Plan introduced on December 9th details comprehensive measures to reduce smoking, including legislation to implement a reduced nicotine mandate. 22nd Century has been an active supporter of New Zealand's smoke-free efforts throughout the plan's development process.

"We applaud the bold plans in New Zealand, which is now leading the world in introducing novel and highly effective tobacco control strategies to end cigarette addiction. This is an ambitious plan, and reduced nicotine content (RNC) cigarettes such as our VLN(r) products will be critical to its success. We are fully prepared to support New Zealand and its Smokefree Plan as it blazes a trail for other health agencies around the world to follow, including the United States FDA and the World Health Organization," said James A. Mish, chief executive officer of 22nd Century Group.

New Zealand's plan details six key focus areas, the fourth of which is: "Making it easier to quit and harder to become addicted by only having low-level nicotine smoked tobacco products for sale and restricting product design features that increase their appeal and addictiveness."

22nd Century's VLN(r) cigarettes would enable New Zealand to authorize a reduced nicotine content cigarette for sale immediately.

With just 0.5 mg of nicotine per gram of tobacco, 22nd Century's VLN(r) reduced nicotine content cigarettes contain 95% less nicotine than conventional cigarettes, but they taste, smell and smoke the same. An extensive body of independent, clinical science shows that this innovative alternative to addictive, conventional cigarettes will help adult smokers reduce their exposure to nicotine, smoke fewer cigarettes and support their efforts to quit smoking.

22nd Century is already advancing to international VLN(r) sales commencing in the first quarter of 2022 in select international markets in Asia and Europe and has established a branch in New Zealand. The Company is fully prepared to produce VLN(r) reduced nicotine content cigarettes for export to New Zealand.

"Almost half a million New Zealanders still smoke, and the smoking prevalence in the Mori and Pacific Islander communities is disturbingly high. There is an urgent need for new tobacco regulatory policies in Aotearoa and throughout the world to address cigarette addiction in general, while also ensuring that minority communities and vulnerable groups are not left behind from public health advances. The New Zealand Smokefree Plan and reduced nicotine content mandate exemplify the very best of modern public health thinking, providing a roadmap for other countries to deploy similar public health policies," said John Pritchard, vice president of regulatory science at 22nd Century Group.

The U.S. is exploring similar policy changes designed to improve public health and reduce smoking. 22nd Century's reduced nicotine tobacco products are the cornerstone of the FDA's Comprehensive Plan for Tobacco and Nicotine Regulation, which includes a reduced nicotine standard similar to that proposed by New Zealand's government.

22nd Century's MRTP application is currently in the final stage with the FDA, and the company remains highly confident of a positive outcome given recent dialogue with FDA. Upon receipt, the Company will begin pilot sales of its VLN(r) products within 90 days in the U.S.