A four-year-old child brought a vape with him to school after being given the e-cigarette by his mum to "keep him happy", it has been claimed.
The young boy was allegedly seen "puffing clouds of smoke" in the playground before a teacher confiscated the device, according to a caller who rang into a radio show on Wednesday afternoon.
The caller claimed that his partner, who is head of early years at a unknown primary school, spotted the reception pupil inhaling from it during playtime and took it off him.
But when she brought up the incident with the boy's mother after school, the teacher was allegedly stunned to hear she'd bought the e-cigarette herself - because she thought it would make the boy happy.
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Getty Images/iStockphoto)Speaking to journalist Tom Swarbrick on LBC, the caller said: "My partner [is] head of early years, going through hell with 30 kids, and only occasionally getting a TA.
"She confiscated one of those vapes from a child in the playground, and the child was four-years-old, and he was in the playground puffing clouds of smoke.
"Obviously she confiscated it and went to chat to the parent - who she thought would be quite shocked to find out how he got hold of it - and the mum said 'oh no I bought it for him, I thought it would keep him happy'.
"You've got to laugh haven't you, it's absolutely shocking. She just thought it was like a sweet thing."
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Getty Images/iStockphoto)A horrified Tom responded to the story by questioning how "stupid" a parent could be to give a nicotine device - which is illegal to sell to anyone under the age of 18 - to a small child.
The radio presenter responded: "A four-year-old child had a vape in the playground at school and the mum was like 'oh yeah it's like a dummy'?
"Oh my word. I don't think there is much else to say. How stupid are you?
"That is absolutely extraordinary."
The alarming anecdote comes as Public Health minister Neil O'Brien is expected to begin a call for evidence within the coming weeks which could lead to a clampdown on access to nicotine products for under 18s.
The review is set to examine the "appearance and characteristics" of e-cigarettes currently on sale - including their branding, colour and flavours.
It will also look into marketing tactics, such as how such products are advertised on social media, over concerns they are being targeted specifically at teenagers.
One potential measure could include banning fruity flavours known to be popular with children, which could see varieties such as Apple Peach, Cotton Candy Ice, Pink Grapefruit and Strawberry Kiwi, disappear from shelves.
While it is illegal to sell vapes to under 18s in the UK, a British Medical Journal study published in July last year found that use of the devices is on the rise among children, with the authors saying advertising on social media apps such as TikTok is likely a major factor.
