81% of surveyed smokers believe nicotine content of cigarettes should be reduced to very low levels so that they are less addictive
February 03, 2016, CLARENCE, N.Y.- 22nd Century Group, Inc. (NYSE MKT: XXII), a plant biotechnology company that is a leader in tobacco harm reduction, announced today that public health advocates in New Zealand have contacted 22nd Century to advance their plans to introduce 22nd Century’s Very Low Nicotine (VLN) cigarettes into commerce in New Zealand at a tax rate substantially lower than that of conventional cigarettes. Taking note that the Company recently launched MAGIC 0 Very Low Nicotine cigarettes in Europe, and that 22nd Century submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2015 a Modified Risk Tobacco Product application for BRAND A VLN cigarettes, New Zealand public health advocates believe a Very Low Nicotine cigarette that is taxed at lower rates could be an important part of the public health initiative in New Zealand that aims to achieve a smoke free New Zealand by the year 2025.
“We believe that 22nd Century’s proprietary Very Low Nicotine cigarettes will be an invaluable public health tool; we stand ready to assist New Zealand in its progressive and pragmatic approach to a national nicotine reduction policy.”
Conditions in New Zealand are favorable for such a national policy on smoking reduction. On January 8, 2016, the New Zealand Health Promotion Agency reported that a population-based survey of approximately 2,600 adults in New Zealand showed wide support (81% of those surveyed, 63% of smokers) for the concept that “nicotine content of cigarettes should be reduced to very low levels so that they are less addictive.”
One of New Zealand’s most experienced researchers on smoking policy and cigarettes, Dr. Murray Laugesen, has been advocating for a national nicotine policy for several years. In 2012, Dr. Laugesen wrote in The New Zealand Medical Journal: “Very low nicotine… cigarettes (not currently on sale in New Zealand) have become commercially available [elsewhere]… and we propose that these [22nd Century Group] cigarettes, which actually assist smokers to quit and which can reduce tobacco addiction, merit a lower rate of excise [tax] to make them available at a lower price than other (addictive) cigarettes.” New Zealand Medical Journal 14th December 2012, Volume 125 Number 1367. In the same article, Dr. Laugesen also cited the many independent, scientific clinical trials that have shown that the use of 22nd Century’s proprietary Very Low Nicotine tobacco cigarettes results in reduced cigarette consumption, reduced nicotine exposure, and increased rates of smoking cessation.
To date, there have been seven independent clinical studies using 22nd Century’s proprietary Very Low Nicotine tobacco cigarettes. The following two clinical studies were conducted in New Zealand, the third clinical study was recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine:
• 2009 randomized trial by Dr. Natalie Walker, et al. conducted in New Zealand among smokers seeking to quit and utilizing 22nd Century’s Very Low Nicotine cigarettes concluded that a reduction in the level of nicotine in cigarette tobacco can reduce the level of nicotine dependence in smokers and do so without adverse effects on cardiovascular biomarkers or significant compensatory smoking.
• 2014 randomized trial by Dr. Natalie Walker, et al. conducted in New Zealand found that among smokers unmotivated to quit, and in contrast to smokers of conventional cigarettes, smokers of 22nd Century’s Very Low Nicotine cigarettes reduced cigarette consumption, reduced nicotine exposure, and increased quitting.
• 2015 double-blind, parallel, randomized clinical trial by Dr. Eric Donny, et al. published in the October 2015 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine found that smokers of 22nd Century’s Very Low Nicotine cigarettes reduced their nicotine exposure, nicotine dependency, and cigarettes smoked per day. These same smokers reported little evidence of negative effects (including compensatory smoking). Smokers of 22nd Century’s Very Low Nicotine cigarettes were also twice as likely to attempt quitting.
“Reducing the nicotine in cigarettes to non-addictive levels is a promising regulatory strategy to drastically reduce the harm caused by smoking,” explained Henry Sicignano, III, President and Chief Executive Officer at 22nd Century Group. “We believe that 22nd Century’s proprietary Very Low Nicotine cigarettes will be an invaluable public health tool; we stand ready to assist New Zealand in its progressive and pragmatic approach to a national nicotine reduction policy.” 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. The Company’s strong IP position led to a licensing agreement with British American Tobacco (“BAT”), the world’s second largest tobacco company. Visit www.xxiicentury.com andwww.magiccigarettes.com for more information.
