Breaking Bad might have been a popular cable show that picked up trophies by the armload in its final seasons, but it was never intended to appeal to children. That is common sense, since people try to ingrain into their kids' heads that drugs are bad. Of course, Breaking Bad has had tons of merchandise to go along with its popularity, just like any other successful series, but did you know there is a line of action figures currently under fire? Toys R Us is apparently selling the toys which have bages of pretend crystal meth as an accessory, and one Florida mother has launched a campaign against the retailer with a petition.
Breaking Bad's main character Walter White is a former high-school chemistry teacher who becomes one of the biggest meth dealers in the country. The action figure of White carries a duffle bag filled with cash, and comes with a toy bag of crystal meth. White's assistant/meth distributor, Jesse Pinkman, has an action figure that comes with a gas mask to protect against dangerous compounds during meth cooking.
Seriously, we cannot try to make this stuff up.
When Susan Schrivjer saw the Breaking Bad figures at Toys R Us, she had the same reaction that many other parents have reportedly had. What kind of precedent are parents setting if their kids are playing with toy bags of crystal meth as accessories to go with their toys?
"I was very shocked and appalled. Anything to do with drugs is not doing the right thing. I just think that they need to look at their visions and values, as they call them," said Schrivjer, who then decided to take action.
She filed a petition on change.org, asking people to support the removal of the Breaking Bad action figures from Toys R Us shelves. In just a week Schrivjer had garnered a thousand signatures, and now that her issue has received national attention, the number is climbing.
The makers of the action figures have a recommended age of 15 and up on the packages, but still, isn't that sending the message to teenagers that drugs might be cool? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
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