'Sad reality' of Vancouver's opioid crisis captured by pigeon's nest of needles

Vancouver’s fentanyl crisis has been in the headlines for months, but there likely hasn’t been a stronger image of how much of an epidemic it has become until now.

Vancouver Police Department Superintendent Michelle Davey shared an image on Twitter of what she said was a pigeon’s nest made out of used needles in a sink. She made note of the “sad reality” of the opioid crisis when she posted the photo and included the hashtag #notstaged

According to the National Post, over 100 people have died from overdoses in Vancouver this year alone, and many more could have died if naloxone, an opioid-blocking medication, was not available for several other life-threatening overdoses. Vancouver’s mayor says B.C. is on track to hit over 1,300 overdose deaths this year, with 400 in Vancouver alone, according to CTV News.

In a statement issued to the press, Vancouver police spokesperson Staff Sgt. Randy Fincham said the photo was shared to “show the reality of drug use in the Downtown Eastside and to provide a rare glimpse into the lives of first responders, health care providers, and others involved in the opioid crisis.”

While the image has been picked up by news outlets globally, fact-checking site Snopes has said that the authenticity of the photo is uncertain and it is unknown if a pigeon really made the nest.