Cancer Council WA has called on major tobacco companies to stop selling all tobacco-based products, if they’re serious about reducing smoking-related deaths and harm.

It comes, after tobacco giant Philip Morris International flagged its intention to stop selling cigarettes in the UK, within 10 years.

Cancer Council WA’s Make Smoking History manager Libby Jardine told Perth LIVE’s Oliver Peterson, she’s taking the announcement with a grain of salt.

“Philip Morris is one of the world’s largest tobacco companies, and the world’s major tobacco companies combined are on track to cause one billion deaths worldwide this century,” she said.

“And they make massive profits from this.

“So I think if Philip Morris is serious about ending tobacco-related harm worldwide, they would stop selling all their products tomorrow.”

PMI says it plans to encourage people who don’t quit smoking, to switch to “better” alternatives, such as e-cigarettes.

“But at the same time, they’re ramping up efforts in developing countries, which is going to have devastating effects,” Jardine said.

“With all this smooth talk from Philip Morris promoting e-cigarettes, it really just masks the fact that e-cigarettes, on current evidence, do more harm than good.”

Press PLAY to hear the Cancer Council’s full response.