Plymouth children hospitalised after using illegal vapes

Officers have visited schools and highlighted the dangers

Two children in the Plymouth area have been hospitalised as a result of using illegal vapes, Devon and Cornwall Police has said.

The force said the liquid in some vapes could be replaced with Class B drugs, which posed a "significant risk" to people's health.

Officers have visited schools and highlighted the dangers.

Insp Sarah Ronanye said children vaping was a "national issue".

'Significant risk'

The force said: "It has been reported that some schoolchildren have been using vapes containing unknown substances such as THC - the active compound in cannabis - or spice - a synthetic cannabinoid - before school and coming to school in an unwell state."

Insp Ronanye said: "The issue is that children or young people are using vapes which unbeknown to them on some occasions are laced with Class B drugs.

"That poses a significant risk to children's health, it's not regulated so we don't understand what that risk is and what the implication is."

Insp Ronanye added two children in Plymouth had been "hospitalised" as a result.

PC Sarah Goudie said: "It is alarming to hear that some teenagers in our community have access to vapes containing an unknown amount of controlled drugs such as THC and spice.

"As the drugs are not regulated, this poses a significant unknown threat to their health."

She added the force was "continuing our efforts to increase education in schools about the dangers of drug use".