# Family of man killed looking to lawmakers to stop nitrous oxide abuse

An 18-year-old man was killed last year in a wreck where the driver was later discovered to be high on nitrous oxide.

An 18-year-old man was killed last year in a wreck where the driver was later discovered to be high on nitrous oxide.

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Not only is the family of Maddix Bias still mourning his loss, but they also say the drug is too easy to obtain, and they are pursuing legislation to stop people from abusing it.

“Some days are better than others. Fridays are hard for me usually; the accident happened on a Friday, so those are hard,” said Candi Morris, Bias’ mother.

KOCO 5 has spoken with Morris before after her son was the victim in a deadly car crash last year. The suspect driver was high on nitrous oxide, an inhalant drug that is also known as a whippet.

“The tanks they’re selling now, like the one I purchased today to be able to show — has 1000 grams,” Morris said.

Nitrous oxide is a common product used in the food industry and also in Morris’ line of work at dental offices.

She wants parents to know how dangerous it can be.

“I don’t know of any restaurants that are buying their supplies at a vape store or a headshop. Or anything like that. I also don’t see any of the food industry buying it when it looks like this,” Morris said.

In October 2024, she reached out to state Rep. Danny Sterling and now they’re working on a bill called the Maddix Bias Act, which aims to stop the abuse of nitrous oxide.

“I tried to give him all the information I know, because he didn’t know, before talking to him, what it was. Most people when we talk with them, have no clue. They’ve never heard of it,” Morris said.



If the bill becomes law, it would not apply to industries that use nitrous oxide for commercial purposes, like the restaurant, automotive or medical industries.

Morris thinks the abuse of the gas causes more problems than people realize.

“I think more accidents are happening, but if they’re not finding the tanks in the car, or there’s not someone there to witness it, then they don’t know. Because by the time the officer shows up to a wreck, they can’t tell, it leaves the system,” she said.

The bill unanimously passed out of the House Health and Human Services Oversight Committee this week.

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