Matthew Perry, loved for his iconic role as Chandler Bing on the legendary sitcom “Friends,” died at 54. He will be missed, but he’s left a legacy that has a lot more to do with his comedic genius and a courageous fight against addiction than his suicide. His death was determined to be a ketamine-related overdose. This unconscionable tragedy has ignited conversations that may have quickly receded about what constitutes the obligations of medical professionals to treat conditions like addiction.
On the morning of October 28, 2023, Perry’s assistant found him unresponsive at his Los Angeles home. This sad moment closed the book on a long public struggle with substance abuse that dogged him for decades. During his life, Perry fought addiction to the point of being an example to others. He struggled with alcoholism in his teenage years and became addicted to painkillers after a jet-skiing accident in 1997. These personal battles formed the backbone of his memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” published in 2022, where he shared insights into his fight against addiction.
It was under these circumstances that Dr. Salvador Plasencia was convicted of Perry’s death. For selling ketamine to the actor, he got a 2.5 year prison sentence himself. In doing so, Plasencia had pleaded guilty to four counts of drug distribution. Acknowledging his exploitation, he confessed that he intentionally exploited Perry’s situation as a drug addict.
In court, Judge John Doe stated that danger was not the worst aspect of Plasencia’s actions.
“You and others helped Mr. Perry on the road to such an ending by continuing to feed his ketamine addiction.” – Judge John Doe
In her comments immediately following Plasencia’s sentence, the judge absolutely excoriated his actions. He focused on the fact that Plasencia had preyed on Perry’s addiction rather than provided actual medical care.
“You exploited Mr. Perry’s addiction for your own profit.” – Judge John Doe
With the addition of the “Ketamine Queen” Jasveen Sangha, the case gets even hotter. As Director of Operations and Management, she faces serious charges in her role with ketamine distribution. Sangha has elected to plead guilty on five counts. These are all charged under just two statutes, keeping a drug-involved premises and distributing drugs causing death or injury.
Perry’s family went on to establish the Matthew Perry Foundation. Their mission is to provide assistance and guidance in addiction recovery, and to create a world free of the stigmas associated with addiction. The foundation aims to make sure that people struggling with addiction get the treatment and second chances they need to recover.
Perry’s fight with addiction was no secret, but it did not define Perry’s life, or his impact on the entertainment industry. He became a beacon for many battling similar issues, using his platform to raise awareness about the challenges faced by those dealing with addiction. His honesty about these battles garnered the affection of fans and broke down stigma around conversations about mental health and addiction.