From time to time, our attention is drawn to some tragedy involving drug or alcohol addiction. Recently, an investigation into the death of the famous actor Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing in the sitcom 'Friends' which aired from 1994-2004) came to an end. Perry released a memoir a year before his death, called 'Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing' which contained harrowing details of his struggle to overcome addiction. At the time, he said he had been drug-free for the past year and a half. Less than a year later, he was dead. At first, the coroner said his drowning in his hot tub was an accident, the result of a combination of drugs he had taken and heart disease. But a new inquiry was opened in May, 2024 to find out why there was so much of the drug ketamine (Ketamine in English) in his blood. Perry had been using ketamine infusion therapy for intensive treatment of depression and anxiety, but his last session was more than a week before his death.

The Doctor and the Ketamine Queen

Perry’s blood contained the same amount of ketamine as would be used in a general anaesthetic. Where did it come from? It was reported in the Los Angeles Times in June that investigators employed by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Postal Service successfully linked certain individuals to the supply of ketamine. It was an incredible story, and five people were charged in relation to Perry's death. When Perry asked his regular doctor to prescribe him more ketamine, he refused. Then Perry found another doctor who wouldn't have a problem with that- Doctor Salvador Plasencia. Prosecutors allege that Plasencia used Perry's desperation and addiction to get money. Another doctor, Dr. Mark Chavez, was helping Plasencia, and illegally getting him ketamine. They had no scruples, and Plasencia sent a text to Chavez, saying: "I wonder how much this moron will pay." There is no doubt that Plasencia and Chavez believed that Perry was a money bags. And they were right, about the money anyway. Perry paid $55,000 in cash for a dozen vials of ketamine in the last month of his life. But a vial of ketamine usually only costs $20! What kind of doctor sells drugs at an outrageous price to a patient with an addiction problem? What kind of doctor takes advantage of his own patient's disease? What kind of doctor is so selfish that he would kill his own patient? That person, in my opinion, is not a doctor, but a drug dealer who only cares about money.

Another criminal network was also at work, supplying Perry with drugs. A drug dealer and ketamine distributor named Jasveen Sangha, known as the 'Queen of Ketamine', was supplying Perry with ketamine through another drug dealer, Erik Fleming. Perry knew Fleming because before he became a drug dealer, Fleming was a film director in Hollywood. Fleming gave 50 vials of ketamine to Perry's personal assistant, a man named Kenneth Iwamasa. Iwamasa gave Perry ketamine injections every day – he gave him 27 injections in the five days leading up to Perry's death, and 3 injections on the day of his death. Iwamasa was not qualified to give Perry ketamine injections, but Placensia showed him how to do it. The five (Plasencia, Chavez, Sangha, Fleming and Iwamasa) were charged with various crimes related to the distribution of ketamine and Perry's death. Plasencia and Sangha pleaded not guilty, but Chavez, Fleming and Iwamasa pleaded guilty.

The five (Plasencia, Chavez, Sangha, Fleming and Iwamasa) were charged with various crimes related to the distribution of ketamine and Perry's death. Plasencia and Sangha pleaded not guilty, but Chavez, Fleming and Iwamasa pleaded guilty.

Sentences?

What is the fate of the five, in terms of sentences? In the case of those who pleaded guilty, Chavez could face up to 10 years in prison, Iwamasa up to 15 years and Fleming up to 25 years. In the case of Sangha and Plasencia, if convicted of all charges against them, it is more than likely that both of them will spend their lives in prison.

Conclusion

Ketamine is an addictive drug, used as an anesthetic and as a therapy for depression. It is a controlled substance and an illegal drug. Perry first got it as therapy, but then became addicted to ketamine. It was a terrible choice to give an addict an addictive drug like this, and Perry was known to the world to be an addict. Worse than that, instead of helping him, his doctor, friend and personal assistant took advantage of his illness, and eventually killed him. I hope that all five of those criminals spend a long time in prison for their heinous crimes. Maybe that will send a clear message to other criminals thinking of doing something like that.

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Even a few days ago, things were not looking good in the United States of America (USA), if you are a Democrat. Before the debate between Trump and Biden on June 27, Biden was trailing in the polls by quite a bit. That debate stunned me, as I watched Biden struggle in every way. It was very clear to me that he could not control his thoughts at all, and he spouted rubbish more than a few times. It is a shame how terrible the debate was, with the candidates arguing about who is better at playing golf, when there are all kinds of problems to be solved in the country and in the world. After that poor showing, things took a turn for the worse for Biden in the polls. Even within his own party, his support had waned, and prominent Democrats had begun to say that it is time for Biden to consider whether it would be right for him to continue his bid for the presidency. The list of those people grew day by day. At first, Biden did not listen to them, saying that he would only listen to God.

Murder Attempt

Then there was an assassination attempt on Trump at a political rally. A bullet grazed Trump's ear, before the murder of the failed assassin by a secret service sniper. Trump seized that opportunity promptly and instinctively. Trump got back to his feet, bloodied but unbowed, a stream of blood on his face, his fist in the air, a US flag flying behind him. A photographer took a powerful photo of the horror, and with that Trump was given the status of a hero, a divine status. The experience of his near death gave renewed energy to the Trump campaign - reinforcing the public perception that he was a victim of the Democrats. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and that iconic picture is worth more than hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign ads. At first, it was thought that the news would distract the public from Biden's difficulties. But the vociferous complaints continued and increased, urging Biden to drop his bid for the presidency. Then Biden contracted COVID, and had to self-isolate at home.

Change of Mind

Although he was ill, the pressure on Biden continued and he was in contact with people in the party whom he respected to discuss matters about his situation. He also had more time to discuss matters with his own family. Whatever the reason, Biden threw in the towel on July 21, and recommended Vice President Kamala Harris to fill his place. It was a very difficult thing for Biden to resign like that, but he did it for the good of his party and the good of the country - and not for his own good. What a contrast between Biden and Trump. Biden gave up his bid for the presidency when he didn't have to. Trump made every effort to remain president when he lost the presidential election. That's the difference between a democrat and an autocrat.

Kamala Harris

Most Democrats immediately gave their support to Harris. No other Democrat put his or her name in the running, either. Many donations were being made to Harris' campaigns after Biden pulled out. The Harris campaign probably raised more money in a 24-hour period than any other candidate in US history – around 100 million dollars! Therefore, it is clear that she has the support of the community. She has also received the support of the majority of delegates (2,688 out of almost 4,000 at the time of writing) in the party. and they choose which party will stand for the presidency. Therefore, it is almost certain that the Democrats will choose Harris to run for the presidency against Trump.

Is America ready?

Had Harris won, she would have been the first woman, the first woman of colour and the first person of South Asian descent to serve as president of the United States. There are many people on the right wing in the United States who are extremely conservative and would struggle with such changes. On the other hand, many people on the left wing want at least such changes. The people of the USA are completely divided politically, and that division is seen clearly and personally in their presidential choices - Trump and Harris. Trump and Harris are currently neck and neck in the polls. Harris has not yet named her vice presidential running mate, and that decision could have a major impact on the outcome of the election. The Republicans' plans are in disarray with Biden’s withdrawal and it will take time for them to come up with a new strategy. Therefore, the result cannot be predicted in any certain way yet. But this much can be said for sure – the Democrats will now have a much better chance of achieving many victories at all levels – the House of Representatives, the Senate and the Presidency – than when Biden was running for the presidency. Thanks to Biden's selflessness, the is a chance that we will move forward as a democracy in America, and win over the autocracy for another while!