Company: XXII
Filing Date: 2025-06-10
Form Type: DEF 14A
Source: 0001641172-25-014543
Chunk: 34

Company: 22nd Century Group, Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-06-10
Form: DEF 14A
Chunk 34
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 otherwise be in the best interest of the Company and our stockholders, including financing and strategic transaction opportunities and employee recruitment and retention purposes, as described above under the header, “Purpose of the Increase in Authorized Shares” would be negatively impacted.

<div align='center'>Our Board of Directors recommends that the stockholders vote “FOR” the proposal to increase the number of authorized shares of our common stock.</div>

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<div align='center'>PROPOSAL NO. 5

APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT OF THE 22ND CENTURY GROUP, INC. 2021 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN</div>

Our Board is seeking stockholder approval of the 22nd Century Group, Inc. 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as amended and restated (the “Plan”). We are amending and restating the Plan primarily to increase the number of shares of our common stock available for issuance under the Plan by 5,000,000 shares to continue to meet our compensation goals for current and future years. The amendment and restatement of the Plan is contingent on stockholder approval.

We use equity compensation as a key tool for attracting, motivating, and retaining talented individuals (not just senior executives). The Amended 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan will allow us to utilize equity incentives in order to secure and retain the services of qualified personnel, especially as we grow, and in light of the highly competitive market for employee talent in which we operate, and to provide long-term incentives for alignment with the interests of our stockholders.

If the Plan as amended and restated is approved by our stockholders, it will continue to allow for the granting of equity and cash incentive awards to eligible individuals and will authorize the issuance of up to a total of 5,000,000 additional shares of our common stock pursuant to awards under the Plan. Awards under the Plan are intended to support the creation of long-term value and business returns for our stockholders. We believe that the Plan strikes an appropriate balance between rewarding performance and limiting stockholder dilution, while providing our Company with the flexibility to meet changing compensation needs. If the Plan as amended and restated is not approved by our stockholders, then the Plan as in effect prior to its amendment and restatement will remain in full force and effect.

Updated Share Information, Authorized Shares and Stock Price

As of June 1, 2025, there remained a total of 4,694,636 shares of