Canadian City's Drug Decriminalization Experiment Leads to Birds Overdosing on Streets
Crows in Prince George, British Columbia, have been observed consuming discarded opioids, prompting animal rescue groups to carry overdose-reversing medication.
Prince George, a city in British Columbia, Canada, is grappling with an unusual consequence of its past drug decriminalization policies: crows are becoming intoxicated from discarded opioids on its streets. The city initiated a pilot program in 2023 that allowed for the decriminalization of drugs, a policy that was not renewed in early 2026 but continues to have lingering effects.
Animal rescue volunteers have reported an increasing number of crows exhibiting symptoms consistent with opioid overdose. The Good Caws Crow Rescue Society has responded to over a dozen suspected bird overdoses this year alone. Volunteers are now carrying naloxone, an overdose-reversing medication typically administered to humans.
"It's disheartening, it's scary," said Dayna Slater, a volunteer with the rescue group, in an interview with CBC. "It's a whole bunch of factors coming together to make, like, the perfect storm." Slater noted that these affected birds are often found in areas of Prince George known for illegal drug use.
The symptoms observed in the crows include unresponsiveness, slow heart rates, and in some cases, foam emerging from their beaks. The small size of birds means that even trace amounts of drugs can be harmful. Slater explained that a quantity as small as a grain of sand can affect a bird. While most treated birds recover within 24 hours, some have died.
Dr. Kaitlyn Liukaitis of Birchwood Veterinary Clinic has treated some of the afflicted birds, confirming that their symptoms align with toxic drug exposure.
In January 2023, then-British Columbia Premier David Eby decriminalized drug possession across the province. However, Eby later acknowledged the shortcomings of the policy, stating in October 2025, "I was wrong on drug decriminalization and the effect it would have." He described the program as having become "a permissive structure that... it was okay to use drugs anywhere that resulted in really unhappy consequences."
Following the implementation of decriminalization, British Columbia experienced a rise in open-air drug use. Although the province opted not to extend the pilot program, cities like Prince George continue to contend with issues linked to the policy experiment, including public disorder and environmental contamination.
Volunteers advocate for the establishment of safe, indoor spaces for drug consumption. They argue that such facilities would reduce the amount of dangerous substances and drug-related waste left exposed in public areas, thereby mitigating risks to both humans and wildlife.