NEW YORK - Comedian Tommy Chong, who with Cheech Marin was one of the most successful comedy teams of the 1970s, said on Wednesday he is being treated for rectal cancer.
“I have good news and bad news. First the bad news, the cancer came back and it is a real pain in the butt,” he said on Twitter. “The good news is I now have to use more marijuana to treat the cancer.”
Chong, 77, said he will let fans know how he is doing and will document his battle against the disease on the ‘Chong and Chong’ podcast.
“Please wish me luck while I kick cancer's behind,” he added.
It is Chong's second battle with cancer. In 2012 he underwent treatment for prostate cancer and used the illegal herbal drug to aid his recovery.
He added: "I'm using cannabis like crazy now, more so than ever before. I'm in treatment now. I've been - just the case either way, either I get healed or I don't. But either way, I'm going to make sure I get a little edge off or put up."
Chong is known for voicing his opinions on legalising cannabis to help counteract the pain.
He once said of his use of the drug: "I've got prostate cancer, and I'm treating it with hemp oil, with cannabis. So (legalising marijuana) means a lot more to me than just being able to smoke a joint without being arrested."
Chong and Marin gained fame in 1971 with their comedy album ‘Cheech and Chong’ and earned a reputation for smoking pot with their films ‘Up in Smoke’ and ‘Nice Dreams’.
After breaking up in the late 1980s, the duo reunited decades later for a comedy tour, ‘Cheech & Chong: Light Up America’. A documentary film of their first tour in 25 years was released in 2010.
Reuters and Bang Showbiz