Controversy over medicinal marijuana has reached the eighth grade in Belmont, where a middle school principal has refused to let a student display her project on the possible medical benefits of pot.

Ralston Intermediate School Principal Deborah Ferguson told 13-year-old Veronica Mouser last week she was barring her project -- called ``Mary Jane for Pain'' -- from the school science fair opening today.

Projects are supposed to be hands-on, the school says, and marijuana is still considered an illegal drug by the federal government.

Veronica burst into sobs and called her stepfather from the nearest phone. Now the emboldened teen, who loves debating and wants to be a lawyer, is ready to put up a battle.

``It's just not fair,'' Veronica said. ``I put in months of work. This is a controversial subject and it should be discussed.''

The American Civil Liberties Union has already called, and the county's science fair coordinator says he plans to rewrite the rules to make it clear projects involving drugs are out.

Veronica's stepfather, Dave Phillips, a systems administrator at Oracle, filed a complaint with the school district to compel the school to display her work. A decision by district officials is expected today.

Veronica didn't smoke marijuana herself or give it to her research subjects. Instead, she studied the effects the weed had on three medicinal marijuana patients, visited an Oakland cannabis club, toured a private pot-growing room in Redwood Shores and interviewed doctors. She didn't attach any samples on her cardboard display, and her parents supervised her at every step.

She concluded that medicinal marijuana helped relieve pain and nausea in chronically ill patients.

Ferguson was not available for comment Monday. But Marcia Harter, assistant superintendent of the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District, said science fair projects are supposed to include hands-on experiments, and it could be inappropriate to let a student conduct research of marijuana; it is still considered an illegal drug by the federal government even though Californians have sanctioned it for medical use.

``Science fairs do not allow the use of controlled substances, and also they have been careful not to let students experiment with substances that are illegal or controlled,'' Harter said.

Veronica did get the approval of her science teacher Mark Jorgensen in December to do the project, Harter said. Jorgensen did not return calls seeking comment.

The dispute illustrates the wider conflict over use of medicinal marijuana since state voters approved its use while federal law bans it.

Cannabis buyer clubs have sprung up to fill prescriptions even as the federal government has swept in to shut them down. And in San Mateo County, work is under way on a federally sanctioned study of the possible benefits and detriments of using medicinal pot.

Veronica also conducted a survey of about 100 students and relatives on whether it's easier for teens to buy marijuana or alcohol. Seventy-two percent said pot is more accessible.

Veronica and her stepfather decided the project also should include a form from the principal approving the work to make it clear that Veronica was supervised and authorized.

That was how Ferguson learned of the project. The principal consulted the county's science fair coordinator, Gary Nakagiri, about whether the exhibit would meet guidelines set by the county, regional and state science fairs.

While the rules wouldn't ban her project, Nakagiri said the work would be viewed unfavorably because it amounts to a research paper not a scientific process. A hands-on experiment could bend a rule against using ``dangerous'' substances, though that rule was originally aimed at explosives and harmful chemicals.

``Marijuana is still borderline,'' Nakagiri said. ``It's still an emotional issue for many folks. Nowadays, with education being on the firing line already, when something like this comes up, our inclination is to be careful.''

But Veronica said pursuit of scientific inquiry shouldn't be restrained because of controversy. ``I think they just didn't like what I had to say, or talking about it, so they block it out, and that's not science,'' she said.

She also contends her project did have scientific merit; three patients logged what happened after using marijuana for one week and stopping use the next week. Veronica said she abhors recreational use of drugs, and warns in her project about the dangers of the smoke.

Either way, she's making change. Nakagiri said the county science fair will sharpen its guidelines to block handling of illegal substances.

``I guess I've learned not only about medical pot, but how people will try to control what you say,'' Veronica said. ``Now I'm even more determined to say what I have to say.''