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Vancouver man filmed thrashing wildly on park bench after Canadian province decriminalized drugs… triggering so much narcotic use that even crows were getting high
A video appearing to show a man convulsing on a Vancouver park bench has renewed concern about visible drug use and safety in public spaces. The article also reports suspected drug overdoses among crows in British Columbia, highlighting how discarded narcotics may affect wildlife as well as people.
British Columbia began a pilot decriminalising possession of up to 2.5 grams of several drugs in January 2023; restrictions in most public places were reinstated in May 2024, and the pilot formally ended in January 2026. Good Caws Crow Rescue Society volunteer Dayna Slater said the group had dealt with more than a dozen suspected crow overdoses this year in Prince George and now carries naloxone. She believes birds may be encountering drug traces in exposed rubbish; some affected crows have died.
In short
- A Vancouver park video has renewed concern about public drug use.
- Rescuers report more than a dozen suspected crow overdoses.
- British Columbia’s decriminalisation pilot formally ended in January 2026.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of the pilot argue that treating small-scale possession as a health issue rather than a crime could reduce stigma and make people more willing to seek help. They may also caution that a disturbing video and suspected wildlife overdoses show serious harms, but do not by themselves establish that decriminalisation caused them; discarded drugs and gaps in treatment and public services may require targeted responses.
The case against
Critics argue that easing penalties can weaken deterrence and make public drug use more visible, leaving residents, businesses and people in crisis to bear the consequences. Reports of suspected crow overdoses add concern that discarded narcotics can harm wildlife as well as people, and critics may see the return of restrictions and end of the pilot as evidence that public safety and clear limits were not adequately protected.
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