HBO's Euphoria Slammed For 'Glamourising Drug Use' And 'Anonymous Sex' For Teens
The TV series is so dark that lead actor Zendaya had to issue a trigger warning ahead of the second season.
The second season of HBO's Euphoria is well and truly underway and it's sparked a lot of backlash from one concerned organisation.
The series follows Rue (played by the Emmy Award-winning actor Zendaya), a high school student who is not only trying to navigate the complexities of teenage life but also a pretty serious drug addiction.
The first season saw how she was sent to rehab after nearly dying from an overdose and it only took her five days before she's back on it.
You see Rue cause heartache in her family as well as trouble with her friends and other relationships as she continues to spiral out of control.
The second instalment, which debuted earlier this month, sees Zendaya's character in pretty much the same place.
The opening episode sees her at a New Year's Eve party where she nearly overdoses on heroin and then takes another drug to try and correct it.
This happens while her classmates are getting drunk and high, haing pretty illicit sexual encounters with one another, and one nearly beats the other to death.
So it's no surprise that D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) isn't happy.
The organisation is an education program that 'seeks to prevent use of controlled drugs, membership in gangs, and violent behaviour'.
Speaking to TMZ, they said: "Rather than further each parent's desire to keep their children safe from the potentially horrific consequences of drug abuse and other high-risk behavior, HBO's television drama, Euphoria, chooses to misguidedly glorify and erroneously depict high school student drug use, addiction, anonymous sex, violence, and other destructive behaviors as common and widespread in today's world."
To be honest, any parent watching the show would probably be pretty worried if their kids were getting up to even a tiny bit of what the students do.
Augustine Frizzell, who directed the show's pilot episode, hoped that the series sparks a conversation between teenagers and parents, while creator Sam Levinson said his show should 'open up a dialogue' and bridge the 'disconnect between parents and teenagers'.
Before season two aired, Zendaya issued a trigger warning to audiences that this isn't a show to be taken lightly.
"I know I've said this before, but I do want to reiterate to everyone that Euphoria is for mature audiences," she wrote on Twitter.
"This season, maybe even more so than the last, is deeply emotional and deals with subject matter that can be triggering and really difficult to watch.
"Please only watch if you feel comfortable.
"Take care of yourself and know that either way you are still loved and I can still feel your support."
Featured Image Credit: HBOTopics: Entertainment, TV and Film, Euphoria, Zendaya
Stewart Perrie