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The world's first electronic spliff is being rolled out across Europe.

Produced in the Netherlands, it allows users to fill the stick with their own cannabis liquid or dry herbs.

It is being produced by E-Njoint BV, which already makes 10,000 fruit-flavoured joints every day, and which are sent out throughout Europe. They contain no tobacco and are 100 percent legal.

The company is now in discussion with a business specialising in helping produce products for the health industry.

E-Njoint CEO Menno Contant said: "Holland is well known in the world for its tolerant and liberal attitude toward soft drugs and the introduction of this new product clearly makes a statement.

"As long as you don't bother or disturb other people and stay within the legal boundaries, all is well."

The number of people who use electronic cigarettes in the UK is thought to have tripled over the past two years to 2.1 million.

But some scientists, politicians and health campaigners fear the battery- powered cigarettes may undermine the smoking ban, tempt youngsters into smoking and represent a health risk in their own right.

A report last week warned that children as young as 11 are addicted to sweet tasting cigarettes after milkshake and bubblegum flavours were launched in America.

The electronic devices are supposed to be an aid for adults to quit smoking.

But they are now tempting kids with flavours including strawberry milkshake and gummy bears, according to researchers.

There are fears the popular gadgets could be a “gateway” to adult smoking.

Last summer the World Health Organisation “strongly advised” against using e-cigs until they had been fully vetted.

Spokesman Glenn Thomas said: “The science around the safety of e-cigarettes has not been demonstrated. A lot of the toxins which are consumed through e-cigarettes have not been adequately researched.”

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And fire chiefs have warned that electronic cigarettes can explode when left plugged in on charge.

The first smokeless cigarette was patented by American Herbert Gilbert in 1963, but it did not take off until a version supplying a stronger nicotine hit was invented by Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik in 2003.

He had been inspired by his father’s lung cancer death and his own addiction.

Launched in the UK in 2006, they got a huge sales boost from the smoking ban and a series of anti-smoking campaigns and seductive advertisements.

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