$XXII to Utilize Revolutionary New Filter Technology

The Celanese CelFX® filter is a highly efficient cigarette filter that delivers an extraordinary taste experience while significantly reducing certain gaseous toxic compounds in smoke, including Benzene, Acetaldehyde, Acrylonitrile, Formaldehyde, 1,3-Butadiene and Hydrogen Cyanide. Employing proprietary, patented technology, the new Celanese CelFX® filter incorporates four times more activated charcoal than conventional products. The specially-designed matrix technology in the new Celanese CelFX® filter provides highly effective filtration that absorbs these toxic compounds, while also providing full air flow for a smoking experience that smokers describe as “exceptionally smooth and rich.”

“As smoke passes through the CelFX® matrix filter, it significantly reduces these toxic compounds inhaled by smokers,” explained Henry Sicignano, III, President and Chief Executive Officer of 22nd Century Group. “Partnering with Celanese and combining CelFX® filters with our proprietary Very Low Nicotine and Low-Tar-to-Nicotine tobacco blends is a natural fit and makes our already outstanding cigarettes even better.”

Perry Aliotti, Celanese CelFX® Platform Global Sales Director, explained: “CelFX® matrix technology represents the most significant technological innovation in filters in my 34 years in the tobacco industry. Incorporating the CelFX® filter technology allows for superior filtration of these toxic compounds in smoke compared to any other filter on the market while preserving the taste and experience provided by the tobacco.” Mr. Aliotti continued, “Celanese and 22nd Century are proud to work together to help provide smokers greater choice and options for selectively reducing certain toxic compounds in smoke.”

22nd Century will have the rights to use the Celanese CelFX® cigarette filter technology with the Company’s MAGIC, RED SUN, and MOONLIGHT brands. The addition of Celanese’s CelFX® filters to the Company’s Very Low Nicotine MAGIC cigarettes fine-tunes MAGIC’s taste profile and results in a cigarette that is highly attractive to European smokers. As the Company broadens distribution for MAGIC from Spain to include Holland, Italy, France, and other European countries, both MAGIC 0 and MAGIC 2 cigarettes will exclusively use the Celanese CelFX® filter.

Incorporating Celanese CelFX® technology to cigarettes, however, does not mean that 22nd Century products incorporating the Celanese CelFX® filter are safe or without any health risks, or are less harmful than other tobacco products, or aim to reduce the effect of some harmful components of smoke, or have any other health or lifestyle benefits. The words “Very Low Nicotine” and “Low-Tar-to-Nicotine” will not appear on the products’ labelling or packaging in the European Union.

The agreement between 22nd Century and Celanese also includes exclusive rights for 22nd Century to market cigarette tubes containing Celanese CelFX® filters for Make-Your-Own consumers around the world. 22nd Century intends to market MAGIC cigarette tubes with Celanese CelFX® filters in North America, Europe and in the Asia-Pacific Region. For the near term however, due to regulatory restrictions on new tobacco products in the United States, 22nd Century does not intend to utilize Celanese’s CelFX® filters on finished cigarettes sold in the United States. 22nd Century products incorporating Celanese’s CelFX® filters have neither been submitted for FDA approval nor have they received FDA approval to be marketed in the United States as a modified risk tobacco product or smoking cessation device.

About 22nd Century Group, Inc.

22nd Century Group 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, www.magiccigarettes.com, andwww.redsuncigarettes.com for more information.