Tucker Carlson called on Congress to ban smartphones for children during his show Thursday night.

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“It’s not surprising, then, rates of mental illness and suicide among teens began to surge right around 2012. That’s just as smartphones and social media became universal. You probably didn’t need a study to know all of this. If you are a parent, it’s obvious. Smartphone use makes your kids sadder, slower and more isolated and, over time, can kill them,” Carlson said.

“The question is what are we going to do about it?” Carlson asked. “Most parents will do nothing. Not because they don’t want what’s best for their kids; they do, but because in real life it’s just too difficult. Try taking an iPhone away from a seventh-grader. You learn a lot about what addiction means. It’s like trying to get a junkie into rehab. You cannot do it alone.” (RELATED: Facebook Hits Back At Former Exec Who Said Company Is ‘Ripping Apart The Social Fabric’ Of Society)

“Parents need help, and there is no reason that the Congress, which made smartphones possible in the first place, shouldn’t be part of the solution. So here’s an idea: Ban smartphone use for children, pass a federal law tomorrow,” Carlson concluded. “Why wouldn’t we do that? An addictive product that science has determined gravely harms kids? Sound familiar? Once upon a time people actually argued against age limits for cigarette sales. It’s hard to remember exactly what their arguments were. They seem so mindless and embarrassing now.”

Tony Fadell, former senior vice president of the iPod division at Apple from 2006 to 2008, went on a tirade on Twitter earlier this week, slamming his former company for opting not to confront humans’ apparent addictions to technology.

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