Most addictive and harmful substances are either highly regulated and taxed, or straight out illegal. But something intentionally designed to be just as addictive as cigarettes and cocaine is used by teenagers and adults every day. Julie M. Albright argues why smart phone use is just as harmful as the drugs we ban.

I am a digital sociologist. I’ve spent my career tracking the growth and proliferation of digital devices and communications. At the beginning, I kind of poo-pooed talk of addiction, thinking: We stare at television screens, what’s the difference between that and a computer screen? With the invention of the iPhone though, where the Internet goes with you in your pocket (or hand) — my views on the addictive nature of digital technologies have changed. App developers have become savvy, learning how to manipulate your behavior and get you hooked. Our attention is being grabbed and held against our will, often without us even realize it.