22nd Century Group Signs Letter of Intent With European Factory For Production of Nicotine-Free Tobacco Cigarettes in Europe

22nd Century Group, Inc. (NYSE MKT:XXII) today announced that its subsidiary, Goodrich Tobacco Company LLC, signed a letter of intent with Orion, a cigarette manufacturer based in Poland, to contract manufacture the Company’s proprietary tobacco products to be distributed in the European Union.

Goodrich Tobacco will export its proprietary tobacco from the United States to Orion. Orion will manufacture the finished cigarettes under the brands owned by Goodrich Tobacco. Initially, Orion will manufacture one of Goodrich’s signature products: GOLD MAGIC^®, the world’s lowest nicotine tobacco cigarette.

Henry Sicignano III, President of Goodrich and 22nd Century, stated, "We are thrilled to be working with such a dynamic, entrepreneurial tobacco manufacturer. The virtually nicotine-free GOLD MAGIC brand contains approximately 97% less nicotine than typical ‘light’ cigarettes, yet GOLD MAGIC cigarettes look, smoke, and taste like conventional cigarettes.” Independent laboratory results confirmed that the average nicotine yield per GOLD MAGIC cigarette is 0.037 milligram per cigarette, a small fraction of the nicotine yield of conventional cigarette brands.

Previously, Goodrich entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Wilshire Marketing BV for the GOLD MAGIC brand in Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg, known as "Benelux.” Wilshire recently concluded packaging design and intends to begin distribution of GOLD MAGIC cigarettes this summer in Benelux.

To inquire about becoming an import agent or distributor, on a country-by-country basis, please send inquiries to info@GoodrichTobacco.com.

About Orion

Orion is a manufacturer and distributor of smoking tobaccos, cigarettes, filter tubes, and smoking accessories with distribution in more than 20 countries. Committed to producing the highest quality cigarettes and tobacco products, Orion’s manufacturing facilities are vertically integrated and include a primary processing plant as well as the largest cigarette tube factory in Poland. Orion owns several popular brands in Eastern Europe and specializes in production of private label tobacco products.

For more information, please visit www.orion-orion.pl/en/

About 22nd Century Group, Inc.

22nd Century is a plant biotechnology company whose proprietary technology allows for the levels of nicotine and other nicotinic alkaloids (e.g., nornicotine, anatabine and anabasine) in the tobacco plant to be decreased or increased through genetic engineering and plant breeding. 22nd Century owns or is the exclusive licensee of 116 issued patents in 78 countries plus an additional 42 pending patent applications. Goodrich Tobacco Company, LLC and Hercules Pharmaceuticals, LLC are wholly-owned subsidiaries of 22nd Century. Goodrich Tobacco is focused on commercial tobacco products and potentially less harmful cigarettes. Hercules Pharmaceuticals is focused on X-22, a prescription smoking cessation aid in development.

For additional information, please visit: www.xxiicentury.com

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