The FDA has granted 22nd Century Group Inc. the authorization to start marketing its cigarettes as low in nicotine, reports Bloomberg.

22nd Century can officially market and sell both its VLN King and VLN Menthol-brand products as having 95 per cent less nicotine than conventional products. Following the decision by the Food and Drug Administration, the company’s shares soared by 17 per cent.
22nd Century has been making Spectrum cigarettes that contain varying levels of nicotine and have been used for government-funded research on tobacco and addiction for years, reports Bloomberg. The company submitted its case on why it should be able to sell and market its low-nicotine cigarettes to the public over a year ago and was delighted with the approval.
“This helps us fulfil a mission to reduce the harm caused by smoking. It will help Americans to reduce the tragic toll of tobacco,” John Pritchard, the company’s vice president of regulatory science, said in a phone interview about the company’s intent months ahead of the agency’s actual approval, according to Bloomberg.
“We know that three out of four adult smokers want to quit and the data on these products show they can help addicted adult smokers transition away from highly addictive combusted cigarettes,” Mitch Zeller, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products said in a statement announcing the decision.