Cigarette brand gets FDA’s first approval for ‘modified risk’ category

December 28, 2021

The Food and Drug Administration has given its first-ever Modified Risk Tobacco Products designation to VLN King and VLN Menthol brand cigarettes, manufactured by 22nd Century Group. The company grows genetically modified tobacco plants that contain greatly reduced levels of nicotine yet purports to burn and taste like regular tobacco. “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,” said Mitch Zeller, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products.

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