Chanel Williams, sister of famed drag performer James Lee Williams aka The Vivienne, is in the middle of a mission. She’s spearheading a campaign to call for an open dialogue about substance abuse, including the increasing use of ketamine among young people. As a clinician who prescribes ketamine, Chanel, 35, is increasingly alarmed by how accessible and affordable ketamine has gotten. She thinks this trend is driving its increasing appeal to youth.
James has been battling a ketamine addiction, which his family only found out about when he started to discuss it on Drag Race UK. This campaign is an immediate and concrete response to that fight. This self-awareness has deeply affected Chanel’s life, inspiring her to become a change-maker in her late brother’s name. She is currently calling on the government to reclassify ketamine from a Class B to a Class A drug. She argues that this update would more accurately capture the risks posed by ketamine.
Chanel says the stigma associated with addiction is one of the biggest barriers that stopped her brother from asking for help. Even with a winning career on stage and television, James had a huge uphill battle when it came to dealing with his personal demons of substance abuse.
“He’d spoken openly on Drag Race about the battles he’d had with addiction, and he’d come through the other side of that,” – Chanel Williams
Chanel contends that this public persona reduced James’s ability to ask for the support he needed. It further complicated his predicament by making him feel more isolated. “He was on top of his success at that point. I think that for him, because he did that in such a public way, it’s really hard for him to own the fact that he is back at square one,” she added.
In collaboration with the substance abuse charity Adferiad, Chanel is working diligently to raise awareness and reduce stigma surrounding ketamine addiction. She feels that getting James’s story out there is an important first step in making that happen.
“If I can help one family to not feel what we are feeling, then it’s all worth it,” – Chanel Williams
Chanel’s advice is to get real about the truth of drug classification. She notes that some young people can start to view ketamine as safe. This perception comes from its unfortunate designation as a Class B drug.
“There’s a portion of younger people that maybe look at that classification and think it’s less harmful than other drugs,” – Chanel Williams
She stresses that reclassifying the drug is not enough to win the war against the epidemic. It’s more than just reclassifying, she said. We need to generate a society where people are comfortable coming forward and can feel safe expressing their challenges.
Ever since James’s death, Chanel has dedicated herself to teaching the world about ketamine addiction and its possible outcomes. She does everything within her power to make sure that no other family has to go through what her family has gone through.
“The Vivienne left a legacy as a trailblazing icon and this, I feel, is James’s legacy. To help other people,” – Chanel Williams
As a person in recovery, Chanel fights fervently to remove the stigma attached to addiction. She wants to show everyone going through difficult times that help is available without fear of judgment. Her determination serves as a reminder of the profound impact of open dialogue and support in addressing substance abuse issues.
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