Salt Lake City —

(KUTV) Utah Senator Mark Madsen said fighting old perceptions about pot have made his efforts to legalize medical marijuana an uphill battle. Then came another hurdle Friday when the Mormon Church said it opposed his bill.

Still, Madsen, who is Mormon, said he won't back down because polls show most Utah residents support the proposed law. Plus, people with serious medical conditions could really use the pain relief.

"It would be immoral to back down," he said.

Madsen said he loves his church and reveres the leaders of the LDS church but he also said he is acting on principle in pushing the legislation because he knows it will make a huge difference in people's lives.

"I don't want to let them down," he said.

The Shinnecock Indian Nation has approved two resolutions that will allow the tribe to move forward with an outside developer to cultivate and sell medical marijuana.

In a 83 to 34 vote Saturday, the tribe approved an ordinance paving the way for development of cultivation and dispensary facilities on the tribe’s Southampton reservation. The tribe also voted 80 to 34 to approve working with an outside firm to help develop and finance the enterprise, said Bryan Polite, chairman of the tribal trustees, the nation’s governing body.

Chronic pain affects more than 50 million adults in the U.S. Upwards of 9 out of 10 cancer patients suffer from pain, with oral cancer ranked consistently as one of the most painful cancers. This chronic pain management represents a major socioeconomic and clinical challenge because the side effects of existing treatments--mainly prescribing opioids--greatly limit their effectiveness, especially over time.

The building is windowless, locked behind a gate and monitored 24/7 by a security guard.

The owners of Sahara Wellness — Nevada’s first all-female-owned medical marijuana dispensary — know their industry can be intimidating for many people. While certain measures must be taken for the security of customers and employees, Brenda Gunsallus, Alex Davis, Paula Newman and Stacey Huffman aim to make their facility welcoming to everyone, particularly women, who the owners say often are uncomfortable with using marijuana as a medical treatment because of the stigma attached to the drug.Inside, however, it is warm and inviting. Art covers the walls, a fountain trickles and brightly lit display cases showcase goods.

People in our community are stepping up to help a man battling cancer who needs medical marijuana.

Jude Mariner is asking her friends for donations to help pay for Bill Sharp's medical marijuana expenses.

"My family is, they're the most incredible people I know," says Sharp. "They've uprooted their lives to move back into my house to help take care of me."

Sharp's family has been with him throughout his battle with stage four cancer. Friday, he's getting help he didn't expect from strangers.

Studies suggest cancer patient numbers will rise by 70%.

The Williams’ son Tommy has a rare form of epilepsy and needs medical marijuana to control his seizures.

When the emergency access bill was passed, they thought they’d be first in line, but now, almost 3 months later, they’re still waiting.

Tommy needs a specific type of oil, with certain levels of CBD and THC.

Both dispensaries in Erie County told the Williams family they don’t have the specific strain they need.

They said it will take up to four weeks of growing, then harvesting, processing, and state inspection until it’s ready.

Despite having an ID card to purchase it, the Williams are out of luck.

The use of cannabis in the treatment of cancer is an emerging field in medicine. By staying up to date on the research and collaborating with other leaders in the field, physicians like my colleagues and myself can continue to meet the needs of real patients who choose not to wait for the federal government to stop obstructing human research on cannabis and cancer. Medical cannabis can be a part of an integrative plan that addresses your mind, body, spirit, family, and community.

Children living in the state of Victoria will be the first Australians to trial a synthetic medical cannabis treatment for uncontrollable epilepsy, according to the Herald Sun.

The clinical trial will cost $150,000 and is the first of its kind in Australia, with other states to possibly announce similar initiatives in the near future. It is hoped that if the trial is successful, it could pave the way for medical cannabis to become widely used as part of treatments for a variety of ailments and illnesses, in addition to epilepsy.