22nd Century Group Expands Pinnacle Brand, Including Pinnacle VLN And Pinnacle Pure, Into 13 Additional States

Distribution Expansion at Current Retail Partners Deepens Pinnacle’s Footprint as Consumer Demand Accelerates

Planned Expansion Increases Number of Pinnacle Retail Locations by Nearly 30%

MOCKSVILLE, N.C., Oct. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 22nd Century Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:XXII), the only low nicotine tobacco company in the world, today announced the expansion of its Pinnacle brand — including Pinnacle VLN® and Pinnacle Pure — into 13 newly authorized states, expected to drive incremental distribution at the Company’s current retail partners in 360 additional stores across the United States.

State authorization is required before tobacco products may be sold in a given state, and the newly authorized states clear the way for the Company’s low nicotine and tobacco-and-water cigarettes to ship to current retail partners nationwide. The expansion builds on the Pinnacle platform’s recent addition of new SKU’s.