ANNAPOLIS, MD — First Lady Dawn Moore today testified in front of the Senate Finance Committee in support of Senate Bill 820, which enforces strict state-level controls to protect the public health of all Marylanders against psychoactive substances associated with dangerous side effects.
Sponsored by Senator Antonio Hayes, the bill will enforce consumer protection measures for certain psychoactive substances—prohibiting retailers from employing deceptive marketing practices geared toward children to sell them.
“As a mother of two children and a fierce advocate for the health and well-being of all young people in Maryland, this bill is personal for me,” said First Lady Moore. “We must create stricter barriers to stop these psychoactive substances from infiltrating our communities and causing irreparable harm to the people we serve. This bill gives us the path forward to make that happen, and hold businesses accountable for using predatory tactics to sell these products in our neighborhoods.”
Maryland Senate Bill 820 targets a specific class of psychoactive substances, including tianeptine, kratom, and phenibut, which have increasingly found their way onto the shelves of gas stations, convenience stores, and vape shops. The substances have not been approved by the Federal Drug Administration, and are often marketed as dietary supplements, energy boosters, or anxiety relievers. To protect Marylanders from associated adverse side effects—including liver toxicity, seizures, severe respiratory depression and the development of substance use disorders—the legislation establishes strict state-level enforcement and controls.
“I want to thank First Lady Moore for her leadership and advocacy on this important effort to strengthen protections for our young people. As a father of two, I feel very strongly about our responsibility to safeguard children from harmful and deceptive advertising, particularly when it comes to products that can have serious impacts on their health and development,” said Senator Antonio Hayes. “The time is now for us to put stronger standards in place to ensure that our children are protected and that future generations are not exposed to products they may not fully understand.”
To protect children, the legislation authorizes the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Commission to enforce prohibitions on the sale of products containing kratom and phenibut to anyone under the age of 21, and strictly bans predatory marketing tactics—including the use of cartoons, superheroes, and neon-colored packaging—specifically designed to appeal to minors.
By enforcing requirements for transparent labeling and prohibiting unverified therapeutic claims, the bill aims to eliminate the gas station loophole that allows highly addictive synthetics to be sold alongside energy drinks and candy in grocery stores.
“Products containing tianeptine, kratom, and phenibut are easily available and deceptively promoted as safe, accessible health alternatives,” said Anne Arundel County Health Officer Dr. Tonii Gedin, who testified on the concurrent House Bill 1523. “In reality, these substances target opioid receptors, can create severe withdrawal symptoms, and carry unknown potencies that heighten the risk of severe side effects. We cannot allow these dangerous, unregulated products to endanger Marylanders.”