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Bill

SB 435

Public Health - Medetomidine and Xylazine Consumer Protection Act

2026 Regular Session Introduced by William Folden

Maryland bill regulates medetomidine and xylazine distribution to prevent veterinary drug diversion into illicit opioid supplies and reduce overdose deaths.

Hearing 2/11 at 2:00 p.m.
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Bill Summary · SB 435

Legislative bill overview

SB 435 establishes consumer protection measures related to medetomidine and xylazine, two veterinary sedatives that have increasingly appeared in illicit drug supplies. The bill aims to regulate the sale, distribution, and possession of these substances to protect public health by preventing their diversion to non-veterinary use.

Why is this important

Xylazine in particular has emerged as a serious public health concern, often mixed into heroin and fentanyl supplies without users' knowledge, causing overdoses and complicating emergency medical response. Maryland, like many states, has seen rising xylazine-related deaths and hospitalizations. Regulatory frameworks can help reduce supply-side diversion while potentially informing harm reduction strategies.

Potential points of contention

  • Veterinary practice impact: Strict regulations on these legitimate veterinary medications could complicate their lawful use in animal medicine and increase compliance burdens on veterinarians
  • Enforcement resource allocation: Implementation requires law enforcement resources to monitor distribution chains; questions exist about cost-effectiveness versus other drug policy approaches
  • Scope definition: Unclear whether consumer protections focus solely on preventing diversion or extend to regulated access frameworks, which affects how broadly the bill applies

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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