The 11-month-old boy can be seen sitting with his legs around the large glass pipe and his left hand around its neck.

His face, which has been blurred, is over the mouthpiece.

The Florida Department of Children and Families launched an investigation after the image was sent to Jacksonville's WJXT Channel 4.

But the boy's angry mother, aged 19, claimed it was a joke.

"If u look at the picture u can see that there is no bowl in the TABACCO [sic] pipe," she reportedly told Channel 4 in a Facebook message.

"And i took a pic to show one [expletive] person and it was a mistake.

"I would never ever ever let him get high."

It is believed welfare officers have visited the family home twice since the photograph circulated. The infant underwent a hospital drug evaluation yesterday.

"Do you realize how serious this is? i can go to jail and he can be taken away from me," the mother reportedly said in another message to the TV station.

No charges have yet been laid.