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‘My son’s life mattered’: A mom pushes for federal nitrous oxide ban after crash kills son

Candi Morris is pushing Congress to pass the Nitrous Oxide Safety Act of 2026 following the 2024 death of her 18-year-old son, Maddix Bias, in a crash involving the substance.
Cleveland County Sheriff Darrell Weaver authored the Maddix Bias Act to restrict nitrous oxide to medical and commercial purposes, making unauthorized possession or sale a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail and fines of up to $5,000.
Sutton Petz was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of second-degree murder and DUI in the crash that killed Maddix, with Morris stating, "It's hard to hear, still, because my son's life mattered."
Morris is lobbying lawmakers because state restrictions fail to address online accessibility, arguing retailers like Amazon remain a source for the substance, necessitating a federal ban.
The Nitrous Oxide Safety Act advanced to a full committee in Congress this month, with Morris stating, "We're not taking no for an answer, and we're not backing down.

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