James Lee Williams, who won the first series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, died at home in Chorlton-by-Backford, Cheshire, on January 5 after taking ketamine at the age of 32.
Chanel Williams told BBC Two current affairs programme Newsnight that The Vivienne did not discuss their relapse, including a hospital stay, “to protect them”, following “a really long period of sobriety”.
“It’s hard for me because I think, if that stigma wasn’t there, would my brother have sought the help he needed?” she said.
“To think that, if we’d known, or if he’d have felt able to talk and really reach out for the help that was needed, the outcome could’ve been different.
“That’s why we’ve shared James’s story.”
The family revealed in March that the drag queen died “from the effects of ketamine use causing a cardiac arrest”, to raise awareness.
They also said they would work with the drug charity Adferiad on future campaigns.
“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,” Ms Williams said.
“He was at the height of everything he was doing and I think, because he’d said it in such an open platform, it’s really difficult to come back and say you’re struggling again.”
She also said the classification of ketamine should be move...
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