22nd Century targets expansion to about 5,000 US retail outlets by year-end 2026, CEO says

• 22nd Century outlined a mid-year 2026 update focused on scaling VLN low-nicotine cigarettes, citing improving gross margin from a branded-mix shift.
• Retail distribution stood at about 2,000 US outlets, targeting roughly 5,000 by year-end.
• Same-store sales rose each month in 2026; non-promotion point-of-sale volume increased an average 10% per month.
• Estimated active VLN user trial exceeded 5,000 cases, with growing carton purchases replacing single-pack buys.
• Management pegged the US combustible cigarette market opportunity at more than $50 billion in annual retail sales.

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