Staying positive. Tommy Chong took to Twitter to discuss his health on Wednesday, June 17, after he told Us Weekly exclusively that he has been diagnosed with cancer.

The famed comedian, 77, broke the news to Us that he is battling rectal cancer, after beating a bout of prostate cancer in 2012. Chong expanded on the news on Twitter, finding a silver lining in his diagnosis and thanking fans for their support.

“I have good news and bad news,” Chong began. “First the bad news, the cancer came back and it’s a real pain in the butt… The good news is I now have to use more marijuana to treat the cancer.”

A longtime advocate of marijuana and its medicinal uses, the Cheech & Chong star told Us on Tuesday, June 16, that weed has helped him to face his disease. “I’m using cannabis like crazy now, more so than ever before,” he explained. “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.”