December 1, 2023 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

Got Meth? There’s an app for that

A screenshot of the conversation Henry Scott had with a Meth dealer on Grindr.
A screenshot of the conversation Henry Scott had with a Meth dealer on Grindr.

BY HENRY E. SCOTT | AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), no stranger to controversy, recently sparked a heated debate with a billboard campaign linking hookup apps to sexually transmitted diseases. The billboards have images labeled “Grindr” facing one labeled “Gonorrhea” and one labeled “Tinder” facing one labeled “Chlamydia.”  Critics blasted AHF for “shaming” gay male sexual culture.  Tinder demanded AHF take the billboards down.  Others, already alarmed by surges in STD rates among gay men praised the campaign.  But sex on demand or an STD is not the most life threatening thing  you can get from a stranger, at least on Grindr or Scruff.

Looking for Meth? No need to turn to a drug dealer on a dark corner or cruise the restroom of your favorite gay nightspot. Just hit up “I GoT FaVs” on Grindr. The price he quoted in a recent text exchange with me was “$75 for teener which I put 2 grams.” To make the purchase even easier, he texted: “I also take PayPal credit or debit and checks.” Delivered! Spend a little time on the app and you’ll find plenty of guys looking to “parTy” or “pnp.”

Scruff?  Just do a search for “Cloud,” “T,” “Tina,” “Tweaker,” “Party,” “Slammer,” “Smoke” or “Crystal” and you’ll turn up “parTy” boys and dealers with screen names like “TweakerVers69,” ParTyTop,” “ParTyfun,” “Smoker T”  and “crystalpartycub.” They are looking to have “sex with Tina,” for “horny tweaky sex,” and in some cases a dealer. BBRTS, a website whose initials stand for “bareback real time sex,” actually includes the question “Drug Use” in its users’ profiles, with possible answers being “Ask Me,” “Yes,” “No,” “Hell No.”

Spend a little more time on Grindr, Scruff or other gay hookup apps and its clear that a “Party N Play” (PNP) culture exists. And it’s a big problem in Los Angeles.  That’s not just my perception:  it’s such a commonly held perception that people often quip “every gay man in L.A. is either a Meth addict or in recovery.”

Some call Meth “the most dangerous drug on earth” because for many it is instantly addictive and has the ability to quickly and permanently alter the brain. Hardcore users rarely recover (the relapse rate is 88 percent for those who have had treatment) and have a 5- to 10-year lifespan.

In “The Handbook of Drugs and Society” (John Wiley & Sons, 2015), Ralph Weisheit notes that death from a Meth overdose is relatively rare. “But heavy users face other risks,” he writes, listing heart attacks, heat strokes and suicide as three. Then there is the impact of days-long binges during which Meth users rarely sleep or eat and have lots of random sex. Job loss, the destruction of relationships and profound feelings of depression contribute further to a growing sense of worthlessness that can be alleviated only by another Meth binge.

While I have never used the drug, I have experienced its negative impact on several loved ones. An  addicted friend once called me, desperate for help, and asked me to take him to the hospital after a week “partying,” eating little  food and getting no sleep. He was deranged and placed in a padded psychiatric holding room. Another friend, prominent in the HIV/AIDS activist community, died of AIDS after his Meth use led to him failing to take the daily HIV medication that had kept him alive and active. My most painful experience with Meth occurred  several years ago when I watched the man I loved (and still do), destroy his career and our relationship with Meth use. The life of this incredibly handsome, talented and well-educated young man spiraled out of control, leading him to lose his job, attempt suicide and be arrested for assaulting a police officer. At this moment I’m watching another brilliant friend head in the same direction. Despite having a law degree from Yale, he is unemployed with no sense of the direction. In addition to the emotional trauma his addiction has caused, there are the physical effects. Sleeping with him is impossible because of the compulsive twitching of his legs and loud grinding of his teeth, an impact of Meth addiction that leaves some users actually without teeth.

Some have criticized AHF’s STD campaign for its focus on hookup apps. Their argument is that gay men ought to be able to make their own decisions about whether to have sex without condoms and expose themselves to STDS and HIV. So searching for a sexual partner who wants to “bareback” shouldn’t be condemned. Whatever one thinks of that argument (with which I tend to agree), drug dealers should not be allowed to push Meth on gay hookup apps nore should “partiers’ be allowed to solicit people to join them. Grindr and Scruff and similar apps are owned by gay men (Grindr and its founder, Joel Simkhai, are based in Los Angeles) whose stated goal is to bring us together, not kill us or destroy our lives.

While the connection between gay hookup apps and Meth use hasn’t drawn much attention in the United States, it has in Australia. Jay Morris, a recovering Meth addict and a gay health advocate in Australia, has called on the Australian government to shut down sites like Grindr that allow users to promote the use of Meth and to offer to sell and buy it. Australia has a telecommunications law that prohibits phones and the Internet from being used to distribute illegal drugs. The US also has a variety of similar telecommunications laws prohibiting illegal drug activity and provide for severe penalties.

But when Queerty.com, a U.S. based gay news site, posted a story about Morris’s campaign, its author described Morris’s request as a “whack a mole” approach, implying that Meth users would simply go elsewhere to find party drugs. Many of those who commented on the Queerty story agreed.

Yes, Meth users just might drift away from sites like Grindr and Scruff and to other sites to find their “parTy” favors. But citing that as an argument against forcing gay apps to more carefully monitor their drug-related content is like arguing that gun control laws can’t be effective because people will always find someplace to find a gun.

If Grindr’s staff can monitor and approve the photos its users post (a practice necessary to avoid violating the terms of use that Apple has in place for any app that wants to be offered on its iTunes platform) then it and Scruff and other gay hookup apps are also able to scan profiles and posts for Meth-related terms like “crystal,” “tina,” and “T.” And if they won’t, those of us who care about the wellbeing of our brothers should migrate to the first hookup app whose owner decides to do the right thing and stop promoting the use of a drug that is destroying us.

Henry E. Scott, a long time journalist, is the former president of Out Inc., publisher of Out magazine, and currently heads West Hollywood Media Company, publisher of WEHOville.com and West Hollywood Magazine.

Related Posts

Los Angeles County to Open CARE Court One Year Earlier Than Planned

November 30, 2023

November 30, 2023

Program Seeks to Solve Mental Health Crisis Among the Unhoused By Dolores Quintana In a collaborative effort led by Los...

Alarming Surge in Hate Crimes: Los Angeles County’s Troubling Report Reveals Disturbing Statistics

November 30, 2023

November 30, 2023

Report Reveals Alarming Trends and Urgent Need for Action By Dolores Quintana The Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations...

Sutton Stracke To Host The Abbey’s 14th Annual Tree Lighting Celebration

November 30, 2023

November 30, 2023

Commemorate World AIDS Day and Raise Funds To Help Those in Need By Dolores Quintana Decking the Halls with heartfelt...

(Video) Via Veneto, a classic Italian restaurant

November 30, 2023

November 30, 2023

Via Veneto, a classic Italian restaurant with real ingredients and delicacies from Italy. You can tell that the restaurant is...

Esquire’s Culinary Picks: Unveiling the Best New Restaurants in Los Angeles for 2023

November 29, 2023

November 29, 2023

Esquire Magazine Spotlights Most Memorable New Eateries  Esquire Magazine has released its year-end lists of the best new restaurants in...

Westfield Century City Unveils Enchanting 25 Days of Christmas Festivities

November 29, 2023

November 29, 2023

A Winter Wonderland With Festive Delights at Westfield Century City By Dolores Quintana Even though it’s only the week after...

Silencing Classrooms: The Alarming Surge of Educational Gag Orders Across U.S. States

November 28, 2023

November 28, 2023

PEN America’s Report Unveils Disturbing Trends in 2023 Legislation By Dolores Quintana Mostly conservative lawmakers all over the United States...

Bloomsybox Challenges Christmas Movie Fans to Rate Hallmark Christmas Movies

November 28, 2023

November 28, 2023

Applicant Chosen Will Receive Prizes and Cash Worth $2,500  By Dolores Quintana A flower delivery company, Bloomsy Box, is challenging...

Attorney General Rob Bonta Advises Californians to Exercise Caution Giving Tuesday

November 28, 2023

November 28, 2023

Tips and Resources Ensure Safe Donations Amid Rising Threats By Dolores Quintana Attorney General Rob Bonta, in collaboration with the...

Bimbos Theatre Company and Student Committee for the Arts Host Drag Event

November 27, 2023

November 27, 2023

UCLA Charity Drag Showcase Unites Students for LGBTQ+ Advocacy By Dolores Quintana On November 28th at 7 pm, the UCLA...

Major Cantaloupe Recall Expands: Brands, Stores, and Products Affected

November 27, 2023

November 27, 2023

Cantaloupe Products Linked to Ongoing CDC Investigation in 28 States By Dolores Quintana In an expanded recall from the FDA...

USC Forecast Predicts Rising Rents and Commercial Real Estate Financing Struggles

November 26, 2023

November 26, 2023

Report Sparks Concerns for Real Estate Development in Southern California By Dolores Quintana  The University of Southern California’s Lusk Center...

Historic Transition: The Abbey Food & Bar Changes Ownership in West Hollywood Landmark Deal

November 26, 2023

November 26, 2023

Entrepreneur David Cooley Forges Agreement to Sell Iconic LGBTQ+ Venue By Dolores Quintana Entrepreneurs David Cooley and Tristan Schukraft have...

James Whale’s Former Estate, Home to the creator of “Frankenstein,” Hits Market at $7.245 Million

November 26, 2023

November 26, 2023

Iconic Tuscan-Style Villa, Restored to Old Hollywood Glory, Offers Breathtaking Views in Los Feliz By Dolores Quintana A majestic Los...

Additional Free At-Home COVID Tests Now Available From U.S Government

November 23, 2023

November 23, 2023

Get Up to 8 Tests at No Cost, Rapid Results, Easy Access, and Free Shipping By Dolores Quintana In an...