Drag star The Vivienne died after taking ketamine, family says

James Lee Williams, amended known arsenic resistance prima The Vivienne, died from a cardiac apprehension caused by the effects of taking ketamine, their household has said.

Sister Chanel Williams said her household "continue to beryllium wholly devastated" by the decease of the 32-year-old and volition beryllium moving with a substance maltreatment foundation to rise consciousness of the dangers of the drug.

The RuPaul's Drag Race UK victor was recovered dormant astatine their location successful Cheshire successful January, with celebrities and fans astir the satellite paying tribute.

An inquest is scheduled to instrumentality spot successful June.

Cheshire Police said determination are nary suspicious circumstances surrounding the performer's death.

Simon Jones, Williams' manager and adjacent friend, said the household felt it was important to stock the circumstances of their death.

He said: "I anticipation by america releasing this accusation we tin rise consciousness astir the dangers of ongoing ketamine usage and what it tin bash to your body."

Williams, who grew up successful Colwyn Bay successful northbound Wales earlier moving to Liverpool, won the archetypal bid of RuPaul's Drag Race UK successful 2019 and went connected to person a varied vocation successful TV and theatre.

They aboriginal became the lone queen from a UK bid to vie connected the US mentation of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars.

Their household said they "brought the sparkle to life" and volition beryllium missed "for eternity" during an emotional vigil successful Liverpool soon aft Williams' death.

Celebrities including vocalist Jade Thirlwall and Ian "H" Watkins from Steps, arsenic good arsenic respective chap resistance queens, attended the ceremonial alongside household and friends successful Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire, astatine the extremity of January.

The Vivienne was praised for raising consciousness of substance maltreatment during their clip competing connected bid 1 of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, wherever they openly discussed however they sought assistance for their ketamine addiction.

The Williams household present hopes to proceed this bequest by moving with substance maltreatment foundation Adferiad connected a run aimed astatine opening up conversations astir substance maltreatment and addiction.

Speaking for the family, Ms Williams said: "Ketamine is an highly unsafe cause that is becoming much and much prevalent successful the UK.

"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."

Ketamine, a almighty equine tranquiliser and anaesthetic, is simply a licensed cause and tin beryllium prescribed medically, but its usage arsenic an amerciable substance is increasing among young people.

In England, the fig of under-18s entering cause attraction who picture ketamine arsenic 1 of their occupation substances roseate from 335 to 917 betwixt 2020-21 and 2023-24, according to the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System.

Donna Chavez, a spokesperson for Adferiad, which runs a specializer detox and rehabilitation centre, said they were "incredibly grateful" to Williams' household for their support.

She added: "Their courageousness successful sharing James' communicative volition assistance rise captious consciousness of the devastating interaction substance usage tin have.

"We are seeing a worrying emergence successful the fig of radical utilizing ketamine, often unaware of the superior risks it poses to their carnal and intelligence health.

"By opening conversations and challenging misconceptions, we tin assistance forestall further tragedies and enactment those successful request to find anticipation and recovery."

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