INEZ — Attorney General Daniel Cameron Thursday continued his commitment to fighting the opioid epidemic by holding an “Operation Fight Fentanyl” forum in Martin County.

He was joined in Inez by a panel of law enforcement, prosecutor and community partners.

This is the sixth Operation Fight Fentanyl event hosted by Attorney General Cameron.

“Far too many Kentuckians have lost their lives to accidental fentanyl poisoning, and Operation Fight Fentanyl is part of a concerted effort by our office to protect Kentuckians from this deadly drug,” Cameron said. “It will take all of us working together to push back against this scourge, and I appreciate those who joined us at the forum today in Inez to discuss possible solutions.”

Fentanyl is a deadly synthetic opioid. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest report, nearly 70,000 people died from overdose of synthetic opioids, mainly fentanyl, in the 12-month period ending in August 2022.

In 2021, the Commonwealth lost 2,250 Kentuckians to overdose death, including six people in Martin County, and fentanyl was detected in more than 70% of these cases.

In February, Cameron launched Operation Fight Fentanyl to hear directly from residents affected by fentanyl and discuss possible solutions to combat this crisis.

In addition to Thursday’s forum, Cameron has held Operation Fight Fentanyl events in Kenton, Pendleton, Whitley, Simpson and Greenup counties. The next Operation Fight Fentanyl forum will be held April 19 in Leslie County.

“Serious problems, like fentanyl, demand serious solutions,” Bryan Hubbard, executive director of the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, said. “I’m grateful to Attorney General Cameron for taking steps to address the fentanyl crisis in the Commonwealth.”

Cameron has secured over $842 million in settlement funds from pharmacies, distributors, wholesalers and manufacturers of opioids for their role in fueling the opioid epidemic.

Last September, Cameron urged President Biden to classify fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. In February, he called on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to designate certain Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

Last month, he sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland asking the Department of Justice to take immediate action to meaningfully address the fentanyl crisis.