America’s children are suffering. After the pandemic-related school closures, many children have fallen behind in school and are now struggling with another major obstacle to learning – smartphone addiction. Two-thirds of American students say they are distracted by their digital devices. while Class.

There’s also a secondhand smoke effect: More than half of students are distracted by other students’ devices, according to a 2022 study by the Program for International Student Assessment. It’s a complex problem. But one solution is embarrassingly simple: Ban cell phones in America’s classrooms.

In our society, alcohol and drug use are not allowed in schools. Why should we allow the use of highly addictive cell phones in this environment?

Today’s phones are designed to grab users’ attention—and never let go. According to a 2023 report from Common Sense Media, the average teen receives 273 cell phone notifications per day.

Countless apps lure children with the promise of the next dopamine rush – a predatory business model. While numerous studies demonstrate the negative psychological effects of these devices on brain development, they can also cause physical harm.

The constant checking, scrolling and swiping that children succumb to increases levels of the “stress hormone” cortisol, increases blood pressure and worsens sleep quality.

Although cell phones are not the only cause of today’s epidemic of mental illness among children, they still play a significant role. According to a study by the Pew Research Institute, 44 percent of teens say their phones make them anxious. This is likely because apps can make children feel ugly, excluded, and lonely. Addictions isolate people, and cell phone addiction is no exception.

Teens are using their cell phones instead of face-to-face interactions with their peers. Yet school is exactly where children should be developing these social skills. In fact, they need human contact to learn and be part of a community. The lack of human contact may explain why suicide and depression rates are rising so sharply: According to the CDC, they have increased by 167% and 145%, respectively, among girls over the past decade.

Fortunately, some politicians are taking action.

Last month, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order allowing cellphone-free instruction in the state’s public schools from preschool through high school. Governor Kathy Hochul of New York has issued a similar ban, and South Carolina, Florida and Louisiana currently have some restrictions on devices in schools.

These governors are trying to correct years of uncontrolled technology that is diverting students’ attention when they should be learning. If elected officials are serious about protecting children, they should be quick to follow their lead.

The issue couldn’t be more pressing. Forty percent of children will suffer from a mental illness by the time they turn 18. And according to a CDC report, a whopping 57 percent of U.S. girls now feel sad or hopeless — double the number since 2011. The data shows that students are crying out for help with their cell phone addiction. Let’s not let them down.

Psychologist Dr. Jonathan Haidt of New York University, who has studied the issue in depth, pointed out in his Substack column that “intensive phone or social media use can also have a cumulative, lasting and damaging effect on adolescents’ ability to concentrate and engage.” To Babel.

Teachers are also sounding the alarm. According to a study by the Pew Research Center, seven out of ten teachers say that distraction from cell phones is a major problem in the classroom. The problem is also exacerbating the teacher shortage crisis in public schools, as cell phone culture in schools continues to grow. Teachers who are leaving the profession cite problems with social media in the classroom as the main reason for their departure.

Banning cell phones in schools is certainly feasible. At St. Anthony Middle School in Minnesota, students are now required to leave their cell phones in their lockers between 8:00 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.

Principal Amy Kujawski issued the ban in part to address online misbehavior. “Smartphones were a huge distraction from learning and also interrupted our opportunity to build strong relationships with our students,” she told Minnesota Public Radio. As a result of her policy, the school saw a near-complete elimination of phone-related behavior problems.

Doing nothing is not an option. Do we really trust that the Silicon Valley companies that profit from this addiction can effectively combat the current mental health crisis among children? I don’t.

States are looking for practical solutions to improve teacher retention, student achievement and mental health.

A ban on cell phones in the classroom can help with all three points.

Marty Makary is a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, advisor to Governor Glenn Youngkin, and author of the forthcoming book “Blind spots: When medicine makes mistakes and what that means for our health.“