Months after the Vivienne died, their cause of death sparks calls for ketamine awareness

The household of inaugural “Drag Race UK” victor the Vivienne has revealed the origin of the performer’s decease successful January.

The Vivienne, calved James Lee Williams, died of cardiac apprehension caused by taking ketamine, the BBC reported Monday. Publicist Simon Jones confirmed the Vivienne’s origin of decease Monday successful an Instagram statement, adding “James’s household and I consciousness it is important to accidental however James tragically died.”

Jones added: “We anticipation that by releasing this accusation we tin rise consciousness astir the dangers of ongoing ketamine usage and what it tin bash [to] your body. Ketamine usage is connected the rise, peculiarly among young people, and I don’t deliberation the afloat dangers of the cause are being discussed.”

Ketamine is simply a ineligible medicine commonly utilized arsenic an anesthetic, but it has besides gained popularity arsenic a attraction for slump successful caller years. It is the aforesaid cause that led to the 2023 decease of “Friends” prima Matthew Perry. Ketamine tin beryllium addictive, experts say, and tin beryllium unsafe with semipermanent usage oregon for radical with immoderate wellness conditions.

The Vivienne died Jan. 5 astatine property 32. They were recovered dormant astatine their location successful England successful the region of Cheshire, according to the BBC. Jones announced the performer’s decease successful a January connection mourning the nonaccomplishment of “an incredibly loved, warm-hearted and astonishing person.” Tributes from the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” community, including its namesake big and different winners, subsequently poured in.

During their “Drag Race UK” tenure successful 2019, the Vivienne was a accordant rival known for their cheeky humor. Behind the scenes, the Vivienne was besides susceptible astir their struggles with cause usage and addiction. Before winning the crown, they told judges they would counsel their younger aforesaid to conscionable “try and accidental ‘no.’”

“Just effort and enactment distant from that, but you’re going to beryllium doing what you emotion to do, and that is conscionable going to beryllium specified a hellhole of a ride,” the Vivienne said. “’Cause you’re going to extremity up connected ‘Drag Race’ with each these astonishing people, and that is amended than thing that anyone could ever springiness you.”

In Monday’s statement, Jones said helium and James’ household were moving with intelligence wellness and addiction enactment foundation Adferiad. They anticipation to raising “vital awareness” and dispersed “information connected however to help” radical struggling with ketamine use.

“If we tin assistance rise consciousness of the dangers of this cause and assistance radical who whitethorn beryllium dealing with ketamine addiction, past thing affirmative volition travel from this implicit tragedy,” the Vivienne’s sister Chanel Williams told the BBC.