Tommy Chong Goes Public About Fighting Prostate Cancer

Tommy Chong has announced that he is battling prostate cancer. The marijuana advocate first noticed symptoms about eight years ago while incarcerated for selling marijuana pipes.

Chong says doctors diagnosed him "about a month ago" but officially made his announcement on CNN.

"I've got prostate cancer, and I'm treating it with hemp oil, with cannabis," he told CNN's Don Lemon. "So (legalizing marijuana) means a lot more to me than just being able to smoke a joint without being arrested. So I know it had nothing to do with cannabis," he said. "Cannabis is a cure."

He described the cancer "as a slow stage one (that I've) had for a long time." The 74-year-old says he actually stopped using marijuana for over three years when he first started noticing health issues.