One of the more emotive arguments thrown up against e-cigarettes and vaping is that multinational tobacco companies, including Philip Morris International, Imperial Tobacco and British American Tobacco, are eyeing the vaping market as a source of future profit.

That was highlighted on Thursday by a Fairfax Media yarn that revealed Philip Morris emailed its consumer contacts, suggesting they make personal submissions to a House of Representatives committee inquiry into the use and marketing of electronic cigarettes and personal vaporisers in Australia.