Keller @ Large: We Need To End Cell Phone Addiction

BOSTON (CBS) - Opioid addiction and how to fight it are at the top of our social and political agenda these days, as well they should be. But what about the emerging addiction problem that could be causing serious damage to far more people than even the prescription drug nightmare?

I'm talking about smartphones, the ubiquitous accessory of modern life. A new survey by Common Sense Media of more than 1,200 families found the majority of teenagers and their parents agree the kids are addicted to their phones, and the addiction is causing friction within the family.

More than three-quarters of the parents surveyed said their kids are distracted by their phones during family time; more than 40-percent of teens had the same complaint about mom and dad.  And the researchers found that smartphone addiction stunts a kid's capacity to study, impedes conversation with others, and handicaps the ability of kids to empathize.

Smartphones have made communication easier and information more accessible than ever before. But did we really even need this research to tell us they're having a toxic effect on us that may well outweigh the benefits over time?

Just think of the negatives we already know about: online bullying and sexual predators, vicious trolling, distracted driving, damaged attention spans, stunted relationships, and that's just a partial list.

Our love affair with technology is growing fast, outstripping our understanding of its dangers and ability to mitigate them. And as this runaway train builds up speed, you wonder - does anybody know where the brake is?