South Korea will be the first international market to commence sales of 22nd Century’s VLN reduced nicotine content cigarettes, the company announced in a press release.
“South Korea is an ideal international launch market in many ways, with a high smoking rate among developed countries and a government strongly committed to smoking harm reduction. We expect the first sale of VLN reduced nicotine content cigarettes to our South Korean partner to occur by the end of March,” said 22nd Centur4y’s CEO, James A. Mish.
“Approximately one in three adult men in South Korea are smokers, and an estimated 6 percent of adult women smoke. The government has worked over the past two decades to promote smoking cessation through a variety of means, including heightened tobacco prices, and remains committed to advancing alternative products to help curb smoking activity in the country. We are excited to make VLN reduced nicotine content products available in South Korea to help break the nicotine addiction cycle and support this important effort.”
The company will continue its launch process in additional markets in Asia and Europe with limited regulatory barriers while also leveraging VLN’s modified-risk tobacco product (MRTP) authorization in the United States toward seeking approval in additional markets with higher regulatory barriers.
In addition to its first international launch of VLN reduced nicotine content cigarettes in the more than $800 billion global tobacco market, 22nd Century Group is actively moving forward to launch VLN in the $80 billion U.S. market.
The U.S. FDA authorized 22nd Century’s VLN reduced nicotine content cigarette products on Dec. 23, 2021. The company is currently executing its 90-day post-authorization plan to launch in its first U.S. pilot market.
