The chief executive of Philip Morris International, which makes Marlboro cigarettes overseas, has said his company will stop selling cigarettes in the UK within a decade.

The move is part of the company's goal to become smoke-free and to help end the use of traditional cigarettes, CEO Jack Olzak told the Daily Mail on Sunday.

Olzak also called on the UK government to ban cigarettes within a decade, comparing them to gas-powered cars, which will be banned in the country from 2030, According to (The Telegraph).

We can see the world without cigarettes, he said. In fact, the earlier it happens, the better for everyone... With the right regulation and information, that could happen 10 years from now in some countries. ​​You can solve the problem once and for all.

Philip Morris International is separate from Philip Morris of America, which makes Marlboro cigarettes in the United States and is part of the American Tobacco Company (Altria). It split from American Philip Morris in 2008 and recently announced plans to switch to a smoke-free company, as well as buying the British pharmaceutical company Victora Group, which makes inhalers for asthma patients.

In contrast, anti-smoking groups in the United Kingdom have criticized the move, accusing tobacco companies of trying to portray themselves as anti-smoking while still selling cigarette products. It was reported by (The Guardian) newspaper.

According to the World Health Organization, smoking kills more than 8 million people worldwide each year.