Office of the Attorney General
Attorney General Conway to Raise Awareness about Prescription Drug Abuse and Cybersafety at 2012 State Fair

Attorney General Jack Conway and his staff will raise awareness about prescription drug abuse and cybersafety at this year's Kentucky State Fair, which runs from August 16 to August 26 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center.

"These are issues that affect families in every corner of the Commonwealth," General Conway said. "I encourage fair-goers to stop by our booth in the South Wing to learn how they can protect their loved ones from prescription pill addiction and the threat of Internet predators."

The Attorney General's booth, located in the law enforcement section of the South Wing, will have information and free give-away items related to General Conway's statewide Keep Kentucky Kids Safe prescription drug education and awareness program, as well as his Cybersafety initiative. Fair-goers can also register at the Attorney General's booth to win an iPod Touch donated by the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI), a Keep Kentucky Kids Safe partner.

Since launching his he program in 2010, General Conway has spoken to more than 10,000 middle and high school students in nearly two dozen counties about the devastating consequences of abusing prescription drugs.

"This is a matter of life and death," General Conway said. "Kentucky loses nearly 1,000 people a year to prescription drug overdoses. More people in this state are dying from overdoses than traffic accidents. I want to make sure we don't lose another generation to this scourge."

Additionally, General Conway and his staff have traveled across the state and talked with more than 40,000 students, parents and teachers about the dangers that exist online. General Conway often reminds students that what they post on the Internet today can have consequences well into the future.

"Kids need to realize that the pictures and messages they post on social-networking sites today can affect their chances of getting into a good college or landing a good job," General Conway said. "It's important to always think before you post."

In addition to his educational efforts, Attorney General Conway's Cybercrimes Unit has launched nearly 300 child pornography investigations and seized more than 322,000 child pornographic images and videos from the Internet. The Unit's investigative efforts have resulted in more than 100 child pornography convictions.

For more information about preventing prescription drug abuse or to learn about Cybersafety, please visit www.ag.ky.gov.