Family Urges Ketamine Reclassification After Vivienne's Death

James Lee Williams, known as The Vivienne and winner of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, died in January at age 32 from cardiac arrest caused by ketamine use. His family learned about his struggles with ketamine addiction after he spoke about it publicly on Drag Race in 2019, and were unaware of his relapse after a long period of sobriety. His sister, Chanel Williams, said that stigma and pressures from fame may have prevented him from seeking help. The family is campaigning for ketamine to be reclassified as a Class A drug and is also advocating for broader strategies involving education, healthcare, and policing to address addiction and drug deaths in the UK. They are partnering with drug charities to advance these efforts and use James's story to emphasize the need for reducing stigma and supporting those dealing with addiction. The Vivienne's legacy now includes raising awareness of substance abuse.