{"id":965700,"date":"2026-05-21T07:04:40","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T11:04:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/22nd-century-group-nasdaq-xxii-launches-pinnacle-vln-trial-in-california-opening-another-major-new-state-for-reduced-nicotine-cigarettes\/"},"modified":"2026-05-21T07:04:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T11:04:40","slug":"22nd-century-group-nasdaq-xxii-launches-pinnacle-vln-trial-in-california-opening-another-major-new-state-for-reduced-nicotine-cigarettes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/22nd-century-group-nasdaq-xxii-launches-pinnacle-vln-trial-in-california-opening-another-major-new-state-for-reduced-nicotine-cigarettes\/","title":{"rendered":"22nd Century Group (Nasdaq: XXII) Launches Pinnacle VLN\u00ae Trial in California, Opening Another Major New State for Reduced-Nicotine Cigarettes\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Initial 60-Store California Entry Extends XXII\u2019s Reduced-Nicotine Rollout Into One of the Nation\u2019s Largest and Most Influential Tobacco Markets, With a Pathway to Broader Expansion<\/i>\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n MOCKSVILLE, N.C., May 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — <\/strong>22nd Century Group, Inc.\u202f(Nasdaq: XXII), a tobacco products company focused on reducing the harms of smoking through nicotine reduction, today announced the expansion of Pinnacle VLN\u00ae<\/sup> into the state of California through an initial approximately\u00a060-store retail trial, establishing the brand\u2019s first retail presence in the state and opening another strategically important market for the Company\u2019s FDA-authorized reduced-nicotine cigarette platform.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The California trial marks the\u00a0third\u00a0step in\u00a0a series of recent corporate updates regarding\u00a022nd Century\u2019s VLN\u00ae<\/sup> combustible cigarette products\u202frollout strategy and follows the Company\u2019s recent\u202fsignificant\u202fmomentum under the broader Pinnacle platform. By bringing Pinnacle VLN\u00ae<\/sup>\u202finto California, 22nd Century is extending the reach of its reduced-nicotine product portfolio into one of the largest, most influential, and most policy-driven tobacco markets in the United States.<\/p>\n

As an initial\u00a060-store trial, the California launch is designed to establish Pinnacle VLN\u00ae<\/sup>\u2019s first retail foothold in the state, build consumer awareness, evaluate early performance, and create a foundation for potential broader expansion over time\u202fthat could lead to an additional 2,000 or more outlets. For 22nd Century, the launch represents more than a new-state entry \u2014 it is a strategic move into a market where tobacco policy, cessation infrastructure, and public health priorities may increasingly support the relevance of reduced-nicotine products.<\/p>\n

Larry Firestone, Chief Executive Officer of 22nd Century Group, said,\u202f\u201cFor investors, this California launch is significant because it shows that the\u00a022nd<\/sup>\u00a0Century VLN\u00ae<\/sup>\u00a0products\u00a0story continues to gain breadth and relevance. We are entering a major new state,\u00a0establishing\u00a0a first retail foothold where VLN\u00ae<\/sup>\u202fdoes not currently exist, and aligning our flagship reduced-nicotine platform with one of the most progressive tobacco policy environments in the country. We believe that combination strengthens both our growth narrative and our long-term strategic value.\u201d<\/p>\n

California stands out nationally for its long-running tobacco control framework and its emphasis on reducing nicotine dependence, promoting cessation, and limiting access to products that sustain addiction. The state has spent decades building one of the most comprehensive tobacco control environments in the country, with a strong policy focus on reducing the availability and appeal of addictive tobacco products while increasing access to quitting support.<\/p>\n

California\u00a0maintains\u00a0one of the country\u2019s most robust cessation infrastructures. Through programs such\u00a0as\u202fKick\u00a0It California, the state offers free, evidence-based support through telephone, text, app, and chat-based cessation services, alongside broader healthcare, pharmacy, and public health initiatives designed to increase quit attempts and reduce tobacco dependence. In that environment, 22nd Century believes Pinnacle VLN\u00ae<\/sup> can occupy a differentiated position as a combustible product designed for adult smokers seeking a more intentional smoking experience with dramatically reduced nicotine content.<\/p>\n

California\u2019s ban on the retail sale of most flavored tobacco products, including\u202fmenthol\u00a0cigarettes, further strengthens the strategic logic of this launch. The menthol ban reflects a forward-thinking and critical piece of legislation aimed at reducing the role of flavors and cooling sensations in sustaining tobacco initiation, product appeal, and nicotine dependence. As more regulators focus on the public health impact of menthol and other characterizing flavors, 22nd Century believes products like VLN\u00ae<\/sup>\u202fbecome more relevant in markets moving decisively toward stricter standards and harm-reduction-oriented policy frameworks.
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FDA Authorization and Scientific Foundation<\/b>
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22nd<\/sup>\u202fCentury\u202fVLN\u00ae<\/sup> low nicotine combustible cigarettes were authorized in December 2021, making them the first and still the only combustible cigarettes authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration specifically to help reduce nicotine consumption.
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Decades of independent clinical research and peer-reviewed studies\u2014evaluated as part of the FDA\u2019s Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP) authorization process\u2014demonstrated\u202fthat reducing nicotine content can decrease nicotine intake, increase quit attempts, and reduce overall exposure to nicotine.<\/p>\n

FDA-authorized VLN\u00ae<\/sup> claims include:<\/p>\n