Doctors in the Netherlands have issued a warning about a new sort of vape which is making inroads into the market and includes a phone, music carrier and allows the user to play games such as Snake.

“It is an extremely twisted thing,” Sophie Cohen, a doctor specialising in children’s lung problems, told broadcaster NOS.

“The awful thing is I am not surprised the industry has come up with something to make children even more addicted,” she said. “That is their earnings model. The younger the brain, the more receptive it is to addiction.”

The vape also uses fruit or sweet-flavoured liquids, which have been banned in the Netherlands since January 1 but are still widely available.

The Dutch product safety board NVWA says it is aware of the “smart vapes” and says it is likely that children are getting hold of them from abroad or via via. But several young users told broadcaster NOS that they are available “behind the counter” at shops in the Netherlands.

Junior health minister Vincent Karremans told NOS that the way the tobacco industry tries to make its products attractive to youngsters is “scandalous”. He said he was working on a plan of campaign to tackle the trade in illegal vapes.