Almost 14,000 illegal e-cigarettes have been seized in Norfolk this year, council officers have revealed, as a new campaign is readied to stop the county's children vaping.
Norfolk County Council has backed calls from Professor Sir Chris Whitty, England's chief medical officer, for marketing of vapes to young people to be stopped.
The Conservative-controlled council is launching a new campaign to coincide with the start of the school year, amid fears of an "exponential" increase in children using vapes.
Bill Borrett, the council's cabinet member for public health, said: "It is illegal to sell vapes to under 18s, but I am particularly concerned that young people are still taking up vaping believing it to be harmless.
"Unlike cigarettes, some of the marketing and packaging is directly targeted at young people.
"I fully support the views of Professor Sir Chris Whitty that marketing vaping, an addictive product, to children is utterly unacceptable."
Trading Standards officers at County Hall have been cracking down on the sale of illegal e-cigarettes, which can often end up in the hands of children.
They have seized 13,861 so far in 2023, which they describe as a "sharp increase" on the year before.
Many of the e-cigarettes seized violated regulations on the size of the tank containing vaping liquid, the council said.
The county's public health bosses say vaping is less harmful than smoking and can help people quit.
But they say they are not completely risk-free and contain nicotine, which is addictive, while there is a lack of research over the long-term effects on youngsters.
It is illegal to sell vapes to under-18s, but social media carries posts from teenagers showing vapes and discussing flavours such as pink lemonade, strawberry, banana and mango.
READ MORE: Norfolk County Council leader raises concerns over vaping
The colourful packaging used by manufacturers has also come in for criticism.
Earlier this year, the council warned use of vapes in Norfolk had "exploded" in the last year.
The authority said "organised criminal gangs" were supplying the trade through certain shops.
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