NBC OUT released a new report that details how gay men are using Grindr to sell and buy drugs. The article features the accounts of a dozen men who recount their experiences with drugs on the popular dating app.
Here are a few of them:
“The issue with drugs has been a gay community plague since the ‘80s, but in the modern era, you don’t need a guy who knows a guy. All you need to do is open up your app and look for that capital ‘T.’”-Derrick Anderson, a Grindr user from Chicago
“Today with Grindr, men can have sex and drugs delivered to their door instantly. I think it’s gotten worse in the past couple of years. The apps are making it easier for people to find him.” – Phil McCabe, social worker and president of the National Association of LGBT Addiction Professionals
“Drugs were always sprinkled throughout the app, but now it’s nothing like before. Of course drug sales are happening on other dating apps, but at a fraction.” – George, a Grindr user in New York
“It gives me more clientele than I would normally get on the street.” – Mike, a teaching assistant in New York City who also sells drugs
The article also profiles how drugs users and sellers use various code words and emojis in headlines and profile descriptions to describe what drugs they are looking for or selling. For instance, a diamond is used to represent meth, while a snowman is used to represent cocaine.
Data from a 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (USA) found that among adults who identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual, 39.1% had used an illegal drug in the past year, as compared to 17.1% of heterosexual respondents. With double the rates of drug use, the rates of drug abuse and addiction are also disproportionately high among members of the gay community.
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Also, gay and bisexual men are 12.2 times more likely to use amphetamines than heterosexual men. This statistic was unearthed by in the research for the book “Unequal Opportunity: Health Disparities Affecting Gay and Bisexual Men in the United States.”
When asked for comment, a spokesperson for Grindr told NBC OUT, “Grindr prohibits the promotion of drug use in its user profiles and is committed to creating a safe environment through digital and human screening tools to help its users connect and thrive.”
“Grindr encourages users to report suspicious and threatening activities,” the spokesperson added. “While we are constantly improving upon this process, it is important to remember that Grindr is an open platform.”
However, when asked for specific examples of how they combat this, NBC OUT’s numerous requests for comment were denied.
To read the whole report on Grindr and drug abuse, head here.
Vince
This is nothing new. Craigslist used to be a major drug selling/buying site. The only difference is how they can avoid the police. Fake emails vs burner phones I guess.
Vince
Ha. Now I know to avoid the diamond emojis. Kind of misplaced anyways. It should be rotten teeth or something.
Kangol
Actually “drugs in the gay community” was an issue in the 1970s. Just look at news reports in gay publications, short stories and novels (like Andrew Holleran’s brilliantDancer from the Dance in which one of the main characters is a “speed queen,” etc.), and you’ll see that the first quote, by Derrick Anderson, is about a decade off. By the 1980s, with HIV/AIDS raging, “drugs” took on a whole new meaning, as in, gay men fighting against the Reagan administration and pharmaceutical companies to develop and make life-saving ones available!
Agent9902
Very bad PR for our community.
This was a viral national news story, giving potential straight allies more reasons to distance themselves from us. As if the constant reports of pedophilia weren’t enough, this horror show has only just begun in the Trump/Putin worldview.
Paco
Surprise! We suffer from the same human failings as everyone else does.
Why should we be seen as impossibly pure while you can open up any newspaper or turn on the news everyday and see examples of straights from all walks of life behaving badly?
1898
constant reports of pedophilia?
in the area where i live, its been several years since i last saw a news story about a man sexually abusing a boy, but there are monthly or weekly stories about men abusing girls, and every few months a story about a woman abusing boys
by that logic i guess i shouldn’t be an ally to my straight friends? lol
Donston
First, most men who have genuine romantic and sexual interests and passion and contentment towards their same gender are not interested in kids. Messing around with kids is not about being “gay”. That’s some other stuff. And there are still over 3 times as many reports of men sexually abusing or “hooking up” with underage girls. Never mind the rise in women sexually engaging with underage boys and girls.
Depression, anxiety, addiction, self-destructive instincts, self-resentment- these things are slightly higher among gay/homo-leaning/queer people. That shouldn’t be new news to anyone. It’s something the general agenda has kept us from truly confronting. But anyone who knows better knows it’s been an issue for quite a while. There’s no revelation on that front.
shakes_head
I haven’t seen too many cases of men abusing boys, where said man identified as gay/bi. But I do see a fair share of straight identifying congressmen, religious leaders, and coaches in the news these days…
Donston
It is indeed much less typical for men who let it be known that they have real romantic and sexual interests in guys to be accused of sleeping with underage guys or accused of assaulting or trying to assault someone. That’s not to say it doesn’t happen. But it’s far more usual for men who are straight-identifying or who live straight public lives to get caught up in stuff like that.
1898
in other breaking news, the sky is blue and grass is green
Seamus66
???
Agent9902
Paco – because the public eye holds us to a different standard, historically. We don’t want to give the moderates any reason to pull the lever for Trump in the midterm elections.
1896 – because we need them as allies, they don’t need us.
StraightnNarrow
This is so disgusting. The police should arrest not only the drug dealers and but also all the users who attempt to buy their hard drugs on line and put them behind bar or lock them up in jail.
Heywood Jablowme
“’Grindr encourages users to report suspicious and threatening activities,’ the spokesperson added.”
Anyone who sees this stuff on Grindr and dislikes it, just needs to report it. This requires the hard work of pushing a button? totally anonymously? (correct me if I’m wrong about that). But apparently they don’t do that, much.
Vince
Well it would help if you knew what the codes were. I guess now I do so yeah I’ll be pushing the button if I see it.
brianlange
Addiction is triple the rate of straight colks. I am creating a foundation to help por n stars and rehab is one of my problems to overcome. Say a prayer it works out
tham
Is it good drugs? It’s so hard to find good drugs…
tham
Oh god, I’m sure Millennials will freak out about my joke…Lordy
brianlange
OK there are three activities that are ruining many lives of gay men.. This has 2 of the 3, anonymous sex and addiction. It plagues the committee with the third is the lack of long terms relationships.