As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 10, 2024.
File No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
22nd CENTURY GROUP, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Nevada | 98-0468420 | |
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
321
Farmington Road, Mocksville North Carolina 27028
(Address of Principal Executive Office)( Zip Code)
AMENDED AND RESTATED 22nd CENTURY GROUP, INC. 2021 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN
(Full title of the plan)
Jonathan Staffeldt
General Counsel
22nd Century Group, Inc.
321 Farmington Road, Mocksville
North Carolina 27028
(Name and address of agent for service)
(716) 270-1523
(Telephone Number, including area code, for agent for service)
Copy to:
John J. Wolfel, Esq.
Foley & Lardner LLP
One Independent Drive, Suite 1300
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
(904) 359-2000
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ¨ | Accelerated filer ¨ | |
Non-accelerated filer x | Smaller reporting company x | |
Emerging growth company ¨ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided under Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ¨
REGISTRATION OF ADDITIONAL SECURITIES
PURSUANT TO GENERAL INSTRUCTION E
This Registration Statement relates solely to the registration of additional securities of the same class as other securities for which a Registration Statement on this form relating to an employee benefit plan is effective. Pursuant to Instruction E of Form S-8, this Registration Statement incorporates by reference the contents of the Registration Statements previously filed with respect to the Company’s 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-256616 and 333-274091).
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference
The Registrant hereby incorporates by reference into this Registration Statement the following:
(a) | Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the SEC on March 28, 2024; |
(b) | Our definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on April 29, 2024; |
(c) | Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 15, 2024; |
(d) | Our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 28, 2024, June 4, 2024, May 30, 2024, May 10, 2024, April 30, 2024, April 18, 2024 April 9, 2024, April 8,2024, April 5, 2024, April 3, 2024, February 15, 2024, February 13, 2024, January 25, 2024, and January 24, 2024; and |
(e) | The description of our common stock contained in or incorporated into our Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed August 12, 2021, and any amendment or report updating that description. |
In addition, all documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold (other than information deemed to have been “furnished” rather than “filed” in accordance with the Commission’s rules), shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the respective date of filing of such documents. Unless expressly incorporated into this Registration Statement, a report (or portion thereof) furnished on Form 8-K prior or subsequent to the date hereof shall not be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed document which also is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.
Item 8. Exhibits
Documents incorporated by reference to filings made by 22nd Century Group, Inc. under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are under SEC File No. 001-3633
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in Mocksville, North Carolina York, on this 10th day of July, 2024.
22ND CENTURY GROUP, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Lawrence D. Firestone | |
Lawrence D. Firestone | ||
Chief Executive Officer |
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Lawrence D. Firestone and Jonathan Staffeldt, and each of them, as such person’s true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person and in such person’s name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) and additions to this registration statement on Form S-8 and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and hereby grants to such attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or such person’s substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated as of the 10th day of July, 2024.
Signature | Title | |
/s/ Lawrence D. Firestone | Chairman of the Board of Directors and | |
Lawrence D. Firestone | Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) | |
/s/ Daniel A. Otto | Chief Financial Officer | |
Daniel A. Otto | (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | |
/s/ Andrew Arno | Lead Independent Director | |
Andrew Arno | ||
/s/ Anthony Johnson | Director | |
Anthony Johnson | ||
/s/ Lucille S. Salhany | Director | |
Lucille S. Salhany |
Exhibit 5.1
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ATTORNEYS AT LAW One independent drive, suite 1300 Jacksonville, Florida 32202-5017 P. O. Box 240 Jacksonville, Florida 32201-0240 904.359.2000 TEL 904.359.8700 FAX www.foley.com |
July 10, 2024
22nd Century Group, Inc.
321 Farmington Road, Mocksville
North Carolina 27028
Re: | Registration Statement on Form S-8 |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are acting as securities counsel to 22nd Century Group, Inc. (the “Company”) in connection with the filing by the Company of a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, for the registration of 5,707,584 shares (“Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.00001, issuable pursuant to the Amended and Restated 22nd Century Group, Inc. 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The common stock issuable pursuant to the Plan is referred to herein as the “Shares.”
In connection with this opinion, we have examined and relied upon such records, documents, certificates and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate to form the basis for the opinions hereinafter set forth including, but not limited to: (i) the Registration Statement, including the Prospectus, and the exhibits (including those incorporated by reference) constituting a part of the Registration Statement; (ii) the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, each as amended to date; (iii) the Plan; (iv) certain resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company relating to the Plan, the issuance of the Shares under the Plan, and the registration of the Shares; and (v) such other proceedings, documents and records as we have deemed necessary or appropriate to enable us to render this opinion. In all such examinations, we have assumed the genuineness of signatures on original documents and the conformity to such original documents of all copies submitted to us as certified, conformed or photographic copies, and as to certificates of public officials, we have assumed the same to have been properly given and to be accurate. As to matters of fact material to this opinion, we have relied upon statements and representations of representatives of the Company and of public officials.
The opinions expressed herein are limited in all respects to the federal laws of the United States of America and the applicable provisions of the corporate law of the State of Nevada, and no opinion is expressed with respect to the laws of any other jurisdiction or any effect which such laws may have on the opinions expressed herein. This opinion is limited to the matters stated herein, and no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated herein.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares are duly authorized and upon the issuance of the Shares as provided in the Plan, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
We hereby consent to the inclusion of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 in the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder.
/s/ Foley & Lardner LLP |
Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement (No. 333- ____) on Form S-8 of 22nd Century Group, Inc. of our report, dated March 28, 2024, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of 22nd Century Group, Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2024.
/s/ FREED MAXICK CPAs, P.C | |
Buffalo, NY | |
July 10, 2024 |
EXHIBIT 107
Calculation of Filing Fee Tables
Form S-8
(Form Type)
22nd Century Group, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Table 1: Newly Registered Securities
Security Type |
Security Class Title |
Fee Calculation Rule |
Amount Registered(1) |
Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit |
Maximum Aggregate Offering Price |
Fee Rate | Amount of Registration Fee |
Equity | Common Stock, $0.00001 par value per share |
Other(2) | 5,707,584(3) | $0.652(2) | $3,721,345 | $0.00014760 | $550 |
Total Offering Amounts | $3,721,345 | $550 | |||||
Total Fee Offsets | — | ||||||
Net Fee Due | $550 |
(1) | Pursuant to Rule 416 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement on Form S-8 (this “Registration Statement”) shall also cover any additional shares of 22nd Century Group, Inc.’s (the “Registrant”) common stock, par value of $0.00001 per share (“Common Stock”) that become issuable under the Registrant’s Amended and Restated 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as amended (the “Plan”), by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, recapitalization, reclassification, merger, split-up, reorganization, consolidation or other similar transaction effected without the Registrant’s receipt of consideration, which results in an increase in the number of shares of outstanding Common Stock. |
(2) | Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rules 457(c) and (h) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, based upon the average of the high and low prices of Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market on July 9, 2024. |
(3) | Represents 5,000,000 additional shares of Common Stock that were authorized for issuance under the Plan and 707,584 additional shares of Common Stock as a result of the 1-for-16 reverse stock split effected April 2, 2024. |