STUDENT SUSPENDED FOR OPINION ON POT

REGINA (SNN) -- Kieran King says he has never smoked pot, but his
views on marijuana have led to his suspension from Wawota Parkland School.

King said he was threatened with police action by principal Susan
Wilson after telling friends at the school that marijuana was less
harmful than alcohol.

"In my opinion, cannabis is safer than they say, it is not worse than
alcohol or tobacco," said King, a 15-year-old Grade 10 student.
Wilson accused King of using and selling marijuana at school,
according to a media release issued by the Saskatchewan Marijuana
Party. King has offered to submit to a voluntary drug test to prove otherwise.

"I've never smoked marijuana. I've never even seen it," said King, an
honours student.

He said he had done independent research on marijuana use out of
personal curiosity and decided to share the information.

Feeling his right to freedom of speech had been violated by Wilson,
he organized a walkout to begin at 11:05 a.m. on Tuesday.

Instead, he said the school was locked down in anticipation of the
attempted walkout. King and his brother Lucas were given
three-day-suspensions for disobeying the lockdown.