WeHo Officials Address Allegations of Grindr/Meth Dealer Connection

The mayor of West Hollywood, along with the city manager and three city council members, plan on speaking with the founder and CEO of Grindr about reports that allege people use the gay hookup app to sell methamphetamine, WeHovillo reports.

WeHoville, along with other publications, recently published reports that claim meth dealers in West Hollywood are using Grindr as a tool to sell meth - a drug that is popular among some gay men. WeHoville reports similar gay hookup apps like Scruff have taken measures to make illegal drug sales difficult to pull off.

West Hollywood Mayor Lauren Meister said she and City Manager Paul Arevalo will meet with Grindr CEO Joel Simkhai to discuss this issue. Grindr's offices are headquartered in the city, which has a large LGBTQ population.

Other city officials also plan to reach out to Simkhai, including council members John D'Amico and John Duran, who call Simkhai a friend, according to WeHoville.

"I do agree that we can and should question Grindr about allowing users to use 'trigger words' to identify drug use - especially meth," D'Amico told the website. "The city could do more on the public education side with the kind of edgy and provocative messaging and images we've produced to illustrate other kinds safety concerns and public interest issues. Info that could speak directly to those not yet in the grips of meth addiction - what is in the drug and in store for them if they become addicted."