Documentary on 'Friends' actor Matthew Perry's death reveals acute effects of substance abuse

Matthew Perry's tragic death is the subject of a new documentary called Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy, released on Feb 25, on the streaming service Peacock. It reveals a disturbing trail of events that led to the Friends actor's death at age 54 in October 2023.

The autopsy report listed the cause of Perry’s death as “acute effects of ketamine” and "accidental drowning" as the manner of death.

US Attorney Martin Estrada, who supervised the investigation, has revealed that the actor received a total of 27 ketamine shots that are said to have culminated in his death.

In the documentary, Estrada stressed the need to prosecute the individuals who supplied the drugs to Perry, adding that it was the greed of a licensed physician named Dr Salvador Plasencia that led to everything that followed, including the involvement of a drug dealer named Jasveen Sangha, also known as “The Ketamine Queen", and three others.

Along with Dr. Plasencia and Jasveen Sangha, a total of five individuals were arrested in connection with Perry's death. The other three are Erik Fleming, Kenneth Iwamasa, and Dr. Mark Chavez — all charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine.

As per the details listed on the website of the US Department of Justice, Iwamasa pleaded guilty to "distribute ketamine causing death, admitted to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, including performing multiple injections" on Perry on the day of his death.

The release of the documentary is pertinent as it highlights the negative effects of addiction and substance abuse, which Perry had admitted to in the past.