One of the world's biggest tobacco companies wants Western Australia to pave the way for nation-wide e-cigarette regulations.

Key points: British American Tobacco says the status of e-cigarettes in Australia is confusing

British American Tobacco says the status of e-cigarettes in Australia is confusing But the tobacco giant's calls have been dismissed by the WA Health Minister

But the tobacco giant's calls have been dismissed by the WA Health Minister Cancer Council WA says the tobacco industry cannot be trusted

British American Tobacco Australia (BATA) has fronted WA's Parliamentary Select Committee on Personal Choice and Community Safety, which is assessing whether the use of electronic cigarettes should be made legal in the state.

It is part of a broader review of so-called "nanny state" laws brought on by committee chair Aaron Stonehouse, who previously said his goal was to reduce regulation in people's lives.

E-cigarettes heat liquid which may contain nicotine into vapour for users to inhale, and there are various bans on sales of the products across Australia.

In WA, it is illegal to sell products that resemble tobacco products, regardless of whether they contain nicotine or not.

The sale of liquid nicotine is illegal in Australia, meaning vape stores are restricted to e-cigarette devices and "nicotine-free" e-liquids.

People who want nicotine in their e-cigarettes must order it from overseas.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 6 minutes 58 seconds 6 m Big tobacco pushes e-cigarettes as 'medicine' ( Conor Duffy )

In its submission to the inquiry, BATA said the legal status of e-cigarettes in Australia was complex and confusing.

"At the same time, there is also clear evidence of growing illegal sales of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes and e-liquids," it said.

"Accordingly, it is clear that the marketplace needs a consistent and enforceable regulatory framework to ensure that adult consumers can access potentially reduced-risk alternatives to smoking safely."

WA urged to lead push

BATA government affairs manager Nat Openshaw said he hoped the committee would lead to national e-cigarette regulations.

"That [the WA Government] advocate to the Federal Government via [the Council of Australian Governments] for a national regulatory framework for these products," he said.

"We see that there is an opportunity for WA to really champion this cause at a federal level."

BATA head of corporate and government affairs Nicholas Booth told the committee Australia had an opportunity to "cherrypick" the best elements of vaping regulations from comparable jurisdictions, such as the UK, Canada and New Zealand.

"This would ensure that adult Australian smokers seeking a potentially safer alternative to smoking would be able to do so within a world-leading framework," he said.

"There are 120,000 Australians using these products daily, according to Federal Government statistics, and that is operating in an environment where these products are illegal."

Tobacco industry slammed by Cancer Council

Cancer Council WA policy and strategy manager Kelly Kennington said tobacco companies should not be giving evidence at the inquiry.

Cancer Council WA says evidence suggests vaping leads to smoking among kids. ( Flickr: Raul Lieberwirth )

"The tobacco industry is responsible for a product that kills 7 million people every single year," she said.

"They have absolutely no place sitting at the table talking about public health or regulatory measures that will prevent kids from smoking.

"The tobacco industry cannot be trusted."

How do e-cigarettes work? E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that heat a cartridge of liquid nicotine into a mist to be vaporised

E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that heat a cartridge of liquid nicotine into a mist to be vaporised They deliver nicotine (the addictive agent in cigarettes) without burning tobacco and producing harmful smoke

They deliver nicotine (the addictive agent in cigarettes) without burning tobacco and producing harmful smoke Smoking e-cigarettes is often referred to as vaping

Ms Kennington said there was strong evidence to suggest vaping led to smoking among young people.

"In the US for example, they saw a 70 per cent increase in high school kids vaping in only one year," she said.

"What we are not clear on at the moment is evidence about how harmful it is. We know that there is some level of harm and the tobacco industry has not been able to quantify it yet.

"But what we do know is that there is alarming and disturbing evidence that vaping leads to smoking among kids."

E-cigarettes not the answer: Health Minister

WA Health Minister Roger Cook said the evidence he had seen suggested e-cigarettes did not combat tobacco addiction.

"All the evidence that is emerging internationally is that vaping is not the panacea for quitting tobacco," he said.

"You now have heavy investment by the big tobacco companies into e-cigarettes.

They are not in there because they want people to quit tobacco, they are in there because there's a profit and they can continue to prey upon people's nicotine addiction.

"E-cigarettes are not a ramp off nicotine, they are a ramp on."