$XXII Form 8-K

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.On March 3, 2015, 22nd Century Group, Inc. (the “Company”) appointed Henry Sicignano III, age 47, to the position of Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Sicignano will continue to serve as the Company’s President and will remain on the Board of Directors. The information required to be disclosed pursuant to Items 401(b),
(d), (e) and Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K is set forth in the Company’s annual meeting proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 4, 2014 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.On March 3, 2015, the Company issued a press release announcing the appointment of Henry Sicignano, III as Chief Executive Officer. A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information in this item shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of Section 18, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any of the Company’s filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except to the extent, if any, expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.