Friends and family of the late Drag Race alum, The Vivienne, have opened up about the cause of death in an effort to drive urgent awareness of the dangers of ketamine use
Ketamine has been confirmed as The Vivienne’s cause of death, and the news has served as a wake up call about the drug’s rampant abuse in the UK. Family and friends of The Vivienne – real name James Lee Williams – are urgently calling for greater awareness about the dangers of the pervasive party drug, particularly among young people.
The late Drag Race alum’s manager and close friend Simon Jones confirmed The Vivienne passed away “from the effects of ketamine use causing a cardiac arrest.” He wrote on his Instagram Stories: “James’s family and I feel it is important to say how James tragically died. We hope that by us releasing this information we can raise awareness about the dangers of ongoing ketamine usage and what it can do to your body.”
It seems no one bats an eye at ketamine anymore. In fact, its ubiquitous nature is part of the reason it’s been able to run rampant in the UK. Ketamine – aka vitamin K, kit-kat, Special K – has become a commonplace party drug and is a Class B substance (considered less harmful than Class A drugs like cocaine, heroin, and LSD).
Known for its dissociative properties, ketamine use outside the medical realm is not entirely new and has been used recreationally in the UK since the 1960s. However, illegal use of the substance has reached record levels in recent years, with an estimated 269,000 people aged 16-59 reporting ketamine use in the year ending March 2024.
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In addition to the worrying prevalence of the drug, it also seems to be reaching increasingly younger groups at an alarming rate. A 2023 survey for NHS England of more than 13,000 secondary schoolchildren from 185 schools across England reported 11% of 15-year-olds had been offered ketamine at some point. The same study suggested the use of ketamine among schoolchildren had more than doubled in the last decade from 0.4% in 2013 to 0.9% in 2023.
Ketamine’s pervasiveness has granted it an aura of banality and, falsely, safety. Ketamine is seen as the ‘safe’ option for those who want to experiment with drug use for partying and often for sex. The drug is also strongly associated with ‘chemsex’ – essentially, using drugs to enhance the pleasure of sexual experience.
Ketamine’s falsely docile image is due, in part, to the fact that it is also associated with Big Wellness and celebrity culture. Chrissy Teigen shared with social media followers that she underwent ketamine infusion therapy for her 38th birthday and the late Matthew Perry also opened up about ketamine therapy in his 2022 memoir, normalising the drug’s alternative and experimental practices. Perry passed away in October 2023 due to a fatal ketamine overdose.
While celebrities deaths like Perry’s and The Vivienne’s shed light on how lethal ketamine can be, the health dangers are much more complex. Ketamine is a corrosive drug and can severely impact users’ bladders. “Ket cramps” are common among regular ketamine users and can lead to irreversible bladder issues, according to Rehabs UK. Additionally, ketamine use for chemsex can “lead to disorientation, memory loss, and risky behaviours, raising concerns about consent and sexual safety.”
Ketamine dependency is also a growing health concern among young adults. According to the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System, the number of under-18s in England entering treatment who cited ketamine as one of their problem substances rose from 335 to 917 between 2020-21 and 2023-24.
Perry’s death drew awareness to the dangers of ketamine use, and The Vivienne’s family hopes by opening up about their loss they can drive the same awareness and education. The family is also partnering with the UK-based charity, Adferiad, to support individuals struggling with substance use.
In the same Instagram post sharing The Vivienne’s cause of death, Simon says: “Ketamine usage is on the rise, particularly amongst young people, and I don’t think the full dangers of the drug are being discussed. We hope that by working with Adferiad we can raise vital awareness and give information on how to get help if you are struggling with ketamine usage.”
The government is also taking action to address the prevalence of ketamine. As of this past January, the UK government is in the process of seeking expert advice on reclassifying ketamine as a Class A substance. There is no update on the reclassification at this time, though as the data makes clear, time is of the essence.
FRANK is a national anti-drug advisory service. Visit Talk to Frank for facts, support and advice on drugs and alcohol. Talk to Frank runs a 24/7 helpline and can be reached at 0300 123 6600 or you can text Frank at 82111.