Star Scientific, Inc. Approved for Listing On the Nasdaq National Market

Business Wire, March 21, 2000

Business Editors

CHESTER, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 21, 2000

The management of Star Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ: STSI), and its wholly owned subsidiary, Star Tobacco & Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced that today its shares of common stock will begin trading on the Nasdaq National Market under the ticker symbol "STSI".

The Company has approximately 58 million shares of common stock outstanding. Since 1998 Star has traded on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol "STSI".

"The listing of our common stock on the Nasdaq National Market represents a significant milestone in our continuous efforts to enhance shareholder value," said Star Scientific's Chief Executive Officer, Jonnie R. Williams. "The companies listed on Nasdaq are some of the most dynamic and fastest growing companies in the world today. Our performance, profitability and other information filed with Nasdaq clearly qualified Star for listing on the Nasdaq National Market," Mr. Williams said.

"In Nasdaq, we have found an appropriate home since the Company's focus is on both technology and science," said Paul L. Perito, Esquire, Star Scientific's President and Chief Operating Officer. "We anticipate today's listing to increase shareholders' access to information about Star Scientific, as well as increase the liquidity of our common stock in general," said Mr. Perito. "We are proud to be joining the Nasdaq National Market and believe this listing will help position Star among its peer group of other emerging technology oriented companies."

"We believe that in the 21st century tobacco oriented companies should compete on the battlefield of science and new technology. As the leader in developing proprietary tobacco curing technology (StarCure(TM)) for virtually eliminating the tobacco specific nitrosamimes (TSNAs), among the most potent cancer causing chemicals in tobacco, Star has been a catalyst for positive change in the tobacco industry," Mr. Perito said.

"Star's bold statement that there is no such thing as a safe cigarette, but there is a way to manufacture cigarettes which deliver less toxins, has created the type of public health dialogue that is long overdue. Given the reality that over 1.1 billion people in the world smoke every day, with a resulting associated death toll of over 4 million people, there is an urgent need to reduce the toxicity of smoked tobacco to the maximum extent possible within available technology - fortunately, Star has pioneered such cutting edge technology." At the same time Star believes it has a corporate responsibility to continue to inform committed smokers that quitting is still far safer than smoking. Star continues its efforts to reduce or eliminate other toxins in tobacco smoke and to encourage others to follow its lead. Star's decision in July 1999 to change its present four brands from conventional filters to activated charcoal filters was based upon recommendations from leading U.S. and foreign scientists and public health experts who believe that using activated charcoal filters on cigarettes reduces the levels of vapor phase toxins. "Although less than 1% of all cigarettes manufactured in the United States use charcoal filters, Star is not afraid to be different, if there is any possibility that the use of activated charcoal filters may some day be found to have a beneficial impact on smokers' health. As in the case of virtually eliminating the cancer causing tobacco specific nitrosamines in tobacco and tobacco smoke through the use of the StarCure(TM) method, there is more research that needs to be completed and independently verified before committed smokers can be justified in believing that a reduction in toxins can result in a reduction in the range of serious health risks associated with the use of smoked tobacco," Mr. Perito said.

Star's Board of Directors Approved, on March 17, the appointment of Jerome H. Jaffe, M.D. as Star's first Medical and Scientific Director

Professor Robert J. DeLorenzo, M.D., Ph.D., MPH, Star's Chairman (and Chairman of the Department of Neurology at Virginia Commonwealth University) said "that Star is honored to have as its first full time Medical and Scientific Director a medical professional of Dr. Jaffe's vaunted international stature and one of the leading experts in research on addiction. Dr. Jaffe was the first Drug Czar, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate in the early 1970's (Director of the White House Special Action Office on Drug Abuse Prevention). Prior to being appointed a Consultant to the President on Drug Abuse Issues, Dr. Jaffe was an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Chicago. In late 1975, Dr. Jaffe returned to academia when he was named Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. Subsequently he returned to government service where he was appointed to a range of senior science positions in the Department of Health and Human Services and remained with the government until he retired approximately 18 months ago.