UK doctors told to treat heavy social media use like smoking

The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, representing 250,000 UK doctors, issued guidance telling clinicians to routinely ask children about social media use and treat excessive usage as a major health risk factor. The move follows research showing teens spending more than three hours daily on social platforms have double the risk of mental health problems, as US Surgeon General data confirms. With the average US teenager now spending 3.5 hours daily on social media, most are above the risk threshold. The medical establishment's smoking comparison signals a shift toward treating platform design features as public health hazards rather than neutral technology.