Cannabis Legend Tommy Chong Turns 80
Yesterday, stoner comedy legend Tommy Chong turned a whopping 80 years old. Apart from the fact that the musician-turned-actor doesn't look a day over 50, his birthday has given cannabis enthusiasts everywhere a chance to reflect on weed's place in modern history.
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Tommy Chong has been an advocate for legal cannabis for decades now, and finally, he's beginning to see the results of years of hard work from cannabis advocates all over the country.
Most well known for being one half of the iconic stoner comedy duo, Cheech and Chong, Tommy first met Cheech Marin in the late 60s at a strip club he ran with his brother at the time. Cheech, formally known as Richard Marin, begged Chong to let him in the house band which began a long working relationship between the two.
The comedy duo released four Grammy-nominated comedy albums as well as five movies, their most famous being Cheech and Chong's Up In Smoke, the cult stoner classic.
In 2003, Tommy Chong was arrested for distributing 7,500 bongs and water pipes via the internet and had to serve 9 months in prison as punishment. Chong also announced he was suffering from prostate cancer in 2012 but a month after the announcement, declared he was "99 percent cancer free" due to a special hemp treatment. He also used cannabis more recently to recover from colorectal cancer.
Tommy Chong has six grown children, three grandchildren, and a great grand-daughter and has been married to his wife, Shelby, for over 40 years.
Chong also has his own brand of cannabis, aptly named 'Chong's Choice' which is available at multiple dispensaries in states where cannabis is legal.
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