Vivienne Hid Ketamine fight for the family, says sister, says sister

James Lee Williams ‘sister, better known as Vivienne, says her family only found out about the drag performers’ fight against Ketamine after seeing Drag Race UK.

In an interview with BBC Newsnight, 35 -year -old Chanel Williams said that James had held the fight – including the hospital because of the drug – a secret of the family to protect them.

The 32-year-old died with the family in January Announce the cause of death later As a cardiac arrest by taking ketamine.

Chanel says her brother “a really long time of sobriety” before she falls back, what she says that the family only discovered death after James’.

“A big deal for me is now, if I had asked the questions or just searched for the signs, would the result be different?” she says.

The Vivienne was praised to speak openly about the abuse of ketamine and the struggle, to become sober, while he appeared at Drag Race UK, which was broadcast in 2019.

Chanel now hopes to continue this legacy by encouraging people to speak openly about drug abuse.

She believes the stigma is looking for and she Successful career of the brother on stage and on televisionmeant that James was not looking for professional help.

“He had openly talked about the battles he had with addiction and he had come through the other side,” she says.

“He was at the peak of everything he was doing and I think because he had said it on such an open platform, it is really difficult to come back and say that they have to fight again.”

Chanel says she is concerned about the ascent of young people who take ketamine, which is partly for the drug that the drug is cheap and easily accessible.

James’ body was found in Chorlton-Backford near Chester on January 5.

The police confirmed that there were no suspicious circumstances related to death, and an examination after the mortem showed an “unnatural cause of death”.

A complete request It is planned for June 30th. In March, the BBC News family said that the star died of cardiac arrest caused by the effects of taking ketamine.

Since the announcement, you have been working with the charity organization Adferiad with drug abuse to raise awareness and to combat the stigma to combat the medication, which Chanel says, is a “important step” among those who stand with addiction.

“It is difficult for me because I think that if this stigma wasn’t there, my brother would have looked for the help he needed?” she says.

“To believe that the result could be different if we knew it or if he felt able to talk and really achieve after the help.

“That’s why we shared James’ story.”

Chanel and her family are also fighting for the government to re -classify ketamine from their current status as a drug in class B to class A, which it would insert into the same category as heroin and cocaine.

“There are some of younger people who may look at this classification and believe that it is less harmful than other drugs,” she says.

“But it’s not just about new classification […] Education, police and health must include in order to really raise awareness. We need a strategy about drug use and drug death in Great Britain. “

The British government is currently looking for advice from experts on the new classification of ketamine, with the police Minister Damee Diana Johnson being writing to the council of drugs (ACMD) Increase young people who take the drug.

A spokesman for the Ministry of the Interior said: “Our thoughts are at James’ family and friends and all those who are affected by this tragic death who unfortunately reinforced the serious dangers of taking ketamine again.

“We will not hesitate to act if the ACMD brings back, and in the meantime we will continue to work in terms of health, police work and wider public services to reduce drug use and to stop those who benefit from their offer.”

Chanel said it was difficult to share the information about how James died, but that the family “talked about what we could do”.

“Vivienne left a legacy as a groundbreaking icon, and I think that is James’ legacy. To help other people,” she says.

“If I can help a family not to feel what we feel, it is worth everything.”

You can see the full interview with the sister Chanel from Vivienne on BBC Newsnight at 10:30 a.m. on BBC Two and see BBC iPlayer.

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