NewsNorth East NewsNorthumberlandOne councillor compared smartphone use to drugs and alcohol17:14, 06 Jul 2026A councillor in Northumberland has compared smartphone use in schools to using drugs and alcohol and called for tight restrictions on their use. It comes after the Government announced a mandatory ban on smartphones in schools from September ahead of a ban on social media for young people set to come into force in 2027.‌Many schools already have policies on limiting smartphone use in the classroom in place. Councillors are set to look at the best practice with hopes it can boost concentration and behaviour among school students.‌Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Coun Suzanne Fairless Aitken, who has campaigned on the issue for some time, said the impact of phones o