A mining billionaire is challenging tobacco companies to take nicotine out of e-cigarettes if they want to prove they’re less harmful than regular smoking.

Andrew Forrest, who is campaigning to raise the smoking age to 21, believes the products introduce kids into smoking.

Mr Forrest tells Alan Jones while the electronic version may take out grasses and chemicals, they can still contain a very addictive chemical.

He says e-cigarettes are a gateway to smoking, and manufacturers are targeting kids.