Spoiler alert: This article contains Euphoria Season 2 spoilers.
On January 26, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, also known as D.A.R.E, released a statement to NBC condemning the show Euphoria for glamorizing drugs, sex and violence. They believe that Euphoria “erroneously depict[s] high school student drug use, addiction, anonymous sex, violence and other destructive behaviors as common and widespread in today’s world”. For context, D.A.R.E has had these zero-tolerance policies since Reagan’s “war on drugs.” D.A.R.E’s take feels more targeted on the main character, Rue, who is a recovering drug addict on the show.
Zendaya, who plays Rue, later rebuts these claims stating, “Our show is in no way a moral tale to teach people how to live their life or what they should be doing. If anything, the feeling behind Euphoria, or whatever we have always been trying to do with it, is to hopefully help people feel a little bit less alone in their experience and their pain. And maybe feel like they’re not the only one going through or dealing with what they’re dealing with. I’ve had a lot of people reach out and find so many parallels from all ages, all walks of life. Rue means a lot to them in a way that I can understand, but also maybe in a way that I could never understand, and that means the most to all of us.”
After hearing all these allegations, I was absolutely baffled. Who has ever watched an episode of Euphoria and come out of it thinking, “Yeah I’ll try whatever they’re doing!” I have not met a single person who has watched this show and reacted to the show’s depiction of sex and drugs positively. It’s almost as if D.A.R.E didn’t even watch the show, saw the R rating and ran with it. If anything, the show does everything in its power to steer the audience away from partaking in the acts happening in this show.
One great example was season 2, episode 5. It was essentially a walking anti-drug commercial. The entire episode was Rue experiencing withdrawals and doing anything in her power to attain drugs to ease the withdrawals, which ultimately ruined all her close relationships in the show. Not only was Rue ruining her life, but she was also messing up all the lives around her. It depicted the shockingly horrifying truths to how far one can fall because of drugs. Say what you want about Sam Levinson’s writing, but he writes Rue’s addiction to a tee, and not once does it feel like her life is one that I should live.
Furthermore, I don’t see the glamorization of sex either. Yes, there is a lot of unnecessary nudity and it’s what the show is known for. But I believe Levinson uses sex to drive a narrative that is essential to characterize the people in his show. For example, Nate’s early exposure to pornography affected how he treats and sees sex and relationships, and why he is abusive. And have your opinions about Cassie, I know I have pretty strong ones of my own, but there is no debate that she is the epitome of the male gaze. Cassie’s lack of self-respect and father issues is the reason why she sexualizes herself for the approval of men. All these themes tie together to portray realistic characters. So no, D.A.R.E has no right to give out statements on the condemnation of this show. Euphoria never glorifies, it only represents.