Tommy Chong, 74, one-half of the marijuana-loving Cheech & Chong comedy duo, is battling prostate cancer, he announced Saturday on CNN.

“I’ve got prostate cancer, and I’m treating it with hemp oil, with cannabis. I take it at night so I won’t be woozy all day. So legalizing marijuana means a lot more to me than just being able to smoke a joint without being arrested.” Chong explained, adding that he was drug free for nearly three years, during which time he began having health problems. “So I know the cancer had nothing to do with cannabis. Cannabis is a cure.”

Although he was diagnosed only a month ago, Chong revealed he first noticed symptoms nearly eight years ago during his nine-month sentence at Taft Correctional Institution in California, for being convicted of the attempted selling of drug paraphernalia across state lines. Chong has described his cancer as a slow moving stage one type and at the moment, is not life threatening.

A longtime and vocal supporter of legalizing marijuana, Chong has written several books including, “The I Chong: Meditations from the Joint.” He and his on-screen partner Cheech Marin recorded a series of hot-selling comedy albums in the early 1970s, before hitting the big screen in 1978 with “Up in Smoke.” It was the first of several “Cheech and Chong” films chronicling the adventures and misadventures of the stoner pair.  After Cheech and Chong broke up in the mid 80’s Richard “Cheech” Martin re invented himself as a character actor, while Tommy Chong went on to develop his own line of drug paraphernalia and became a recurring character and later a regular character as the hippie “Leo” during multiple seasons of That ’70s Show.

Cheech & Chong have been back preforming together since their reunion in 2008 and despite Chong’s prostate cancer announcement, according to their website the duo has performances scheduled for June 15, five dates in October and November, and an April 2013 show as well.  Rumors of a future Cheech & Chong movie tentatively titled Up In Smoke 2 also has a possibility of coming together depending on Tommy Chong’s health.

Ryan Bergh – 98.5 WNCX