Star Scientific, Inc. Announces New Patent for Curing Tobacco To Substantially Prevent the Formation of Cancer-Causing Tobacco Specific Nitrosamines (TSNA's).

Business Editors

CHESTER, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 21, 2001

Star Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ: STSI) announced today the issuance of a patent to Jonnie R. Williams, Star Scientific's co-founder and CEO, covering a process for curing harvested tobacco in a manner which substantially prevents the formation of one or more tobacco specific nitrosamines ("TSNAs").

TSNAs are believed by many knowledgeable scientists and medical researchers to be among the most potent and abundant cancer-causing toxins in tobacco and tobacco smoke. The new patent, U.S. Patent No. 6,202,649, which is licensed exclusively to Star Scientific, covers the process of curing tobacco in a controlled environment for a time sufficient to substantially prevent the formation of at least one nitrosamine in the tobacco, including NNKs and NNNs (acknowledged to be the most potent cancer-causing TSNAs).

Paul L. Perito, Chairman, President and COO of Star Scientific, stated: "The issuance of this patent significantly enlarges the existing patent portfolio and confirms Star Scientific's role as the world leader in developing technology for curing tobacco to yield very low levels of carcinogenic TSNAs. This technology makes it possible to consistently produce very low-TSNA tobacco (sold by Star Scientific as StarCured(TM) tobacco), regardless of ambient conditions (1). The further expansion of intellectual property rights that are licensed exclusively to Star Scientific validates our belief that Star Scientific continues to be the world leader in securing rights to the cutting-edge technology that consistently produces very low-TSNA tobacco."

Mr. Perito added: "Star Scientific has always stated its willingness to share its technology broadly with the industry and with the public. Consistent with this policy, Star Scientific will offer to sub-license its patented technology, on a non-exclusive basis, to any person or company, in exchange for a reasonable royalty. We have been using a blend of our very low-TSNA, flue-cured StarCured(TM) tobacco, as well as other specially selected tobaccos (burley and oriental), in the Advance(R) cigarette we jointly developed with Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation ("B&W"). We have been test marketing Advance in Richmond, Virginia and Lexington, Kentucky since last October. We are very encouraged by the repeat purchases of Advance(R) by long-time, adult tobacco users, and by B&W's decision to conduct its own test marketing of the product (2). Further, our StarCured(TM) tobacco will be used in our new, very low-TSNA smokeless tobacco products, which will include a moist snuff and a hard tobacco product. We intend these very low-TSNA smokeless products to be our flagship entries into the marketplace for consumer products that expose adult tobacco consumers to less carcinogenic toxins (TSNAs). Star Scientific continues to advocate meaningful FDA regulation of all tobacco products so that emerging potential reduced exposure products ("PREPs") can be independently evaluated under a comprehensive national regulatory standard. We have urged the 107th Congress to enact appropriate implementing legislation."

Mr. Jonnie R. Williams, Star's CEO, and the inventor of the StarCured(TM) tobacco curing process, said: "The expansion of Star Scientific's patent portfolio will be welcome news to the farmers participating in our StarCured(TM) tobacco program at our newly expanded Chase City, Virginia facility. As part of recent structural additions to our Chase City facility, Star is installing newly purchased, state of the art machinery to manufacture both very low-TSNA moist snuff and hard tobacco. We anticipate that this expansion will allow us to implement our business plan to manufacture and market non-combustible tobacco products that contain StarCured(TM) very low-TSNA flue-cured tobacco."

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company has tried, whenever possible, to identify these forward-looking statements using words such as "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "expects", "plans", "intends" and similar expressions. These statements reflect the Company's current beliefs and are based upon information currently available to it. Accordingly, such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such statements. These risks, uncertainties and contingencies include, without limitation, the challenges inherent in new product development initiatives, the Company's ability to raise the capital necessary to grow its business, potential disputes concerning the Company's intellectual property, potential delays in obtaining any necessary government approvals of the Company's proposed reduced risk tobacco products, market acceptance of the Company's proposed new products, competition from companies with greater resources than the Company, the Company's decision not to join the Master Settlement Agreement ("MSA") and its decision to challenge the constitutionality of the MSA, the effect of state statutes adopted under the MSA and any subsequent modification of the MSA, the Company's dependence on key employees and on its strategic relationships with Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation. The impact of potential litigation, if initiated against or by individual states that have adopted the MSA, could be materially adverse to the Company. See additional discussion under "Factors That May Affect Future Results" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 1999, and other factors detailed from time to time in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or advise upon any such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

(1) Last year Star Scientific produced approximately 19 million pounds of very low-TSNA, flue-cured tobacco, which tests conducted by Star Scientific and by independent laboratories confirmed consistently contained levels of TSNAs in the range of 200 parts per billion, or below. This tobacco was purchased by Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation, the third largest tobacco company in the U.S., and the largest affiliate of British American Tobacco, PLC the second largest tobacco company in the world.

(2) We believe Advance(TM)is the first premium conventional cigarette that delivers less cancer-causing toxins (TSNAs), and is equipped with a 40-milligram activated charcoal/acetate filter that reduces other vapor-phase toxins. Advance is unique among premium cigarettes because we use the entire back of the package for enhanced health warnings, and we also provide comparative content information on innovative package "onserts" that are attached to the back of each cigarette pack. Star Scientific's clear message to adult tobacco consumers continues to be that there never can be a "safe" cigarette, and that it is better to quit than to switch or smoke. Cessation must remain the first option for adult tobacco users.