AG Daniel Cameron speaks to students at Whitley Co. High School Wednesday

Students at Whitley County High School received an exciting opportunity Wednesday when Attorney General Daniel Cameron made a stop at the school to discuss some of the responsibilities of his position, his involvement in the ongoing fight against the spread of fentanyl, and how he hopes that young people will help to shape the future of the Commonwealth.

Cameron has maintained a presence in Whitley County in recent weeks, also hosting an Operation Fight Fentanyl public forum at the Corbin Center earlier this month (see the story here: https://www.thenewsjournal.net/attorney-general-cameron-holds-operation-fight-fentanyl-forum-in-whitley-county/).

On Wednesday, after addressing students inside the WCHS cafeteria and taking the time to answer a few questions from the crowd, Cameron said, “Whitley County is a fantastic community, and I have gotten to see that, whether it’s coming to the high school or at the Operation Fight Fentanyl Forum. There is a concerted interest in wanting to eradicate the fentanyl opioid epidemic that we have here in Kentucky. I see a lot of pride in the folks here, and a lot of heart and determination.”

“I grew up in E’town, in Hardin County,” Cameron added. “The same values that I saw there daily, I also see here. Faith, family and community are foundational in who we are, and we want to help our neighbor. The way in which we are trying to do that now is through fighting this epidemic that is hurting our communities, and hurting our families.”

“I am greatly encouraged by the folks that I have talked to and had conversations with here. This is a wonderful county, and there are a lot of good, salt-of-the-earth people here who want to make our Commonwealth better and brighter for the future.”

When asked what messages he is trying to get across to young people specifically, Cameron said, “We need all hands on deck to fight this opioid epidemic. Sadly, we are seeing it slowly get to kids earlier and earlier, so we need the help of committed high schoolers and middle schoolers to say, ‘We’re not taking this stuff, and we’re not even going to take the chance with any of these opioids.’”

“I’m really encouraged by the students that I met here today who have a heart for helping their community and bettering their community,” Cameron continued. “My message has been that your future is bright, and we don’t want anything jeopardizing that future, with opioids being one of the primary threats. I want to be an encourager to them, and encourage them to continue making good decisions that will allow them to thrive, flourish, and be the best and brightest versions of themselves that they can be, not only for Whitley County, but for the country.”