How Euphoria depicts drug use isn’t ‘problematic’, it's extraordinary
By Karen Thompson “ Euphoria ” at its core tells a story of grief, drug addiction, and depression, particularly through the experiences of Rue Bennett, portrayed amazingly by the lead actress Zendaya. In the series, we’ve seen a deep examination of Rue’s descent into drug use; a response to grief over the tragic death of her father. In Emily St. Martin’s opinion (a writer), “ Euphoria , unlike almost every other depiction of drug use I’ve seen in pop culture, is doing the necessary work to shift the views of addiction. It’s making addicts and the people who love them feel less alone, and it’s illuminating the dark reality of addiction for people who might be struggling to understand. The show’s not just entertainment—I’d argue it has the power to change people’s lives.” In January, D.A.R.E .(The Abuse Resistance Educational program) found the show ‘problematic’, saying the show was glorifying high school drug use, making it seem “common and widespr...