Dave Mustaine Thanks Marijuana for Helping with Cancer Treatment
Several years ago, Megadeth were in New York City recording a new album when my phone rang, on the other end one of the guys at the band’s record label. After the requisite pleasantries and small talk, I asked what I could do for him today. “Well… [pause]… let’s just say weed sells, and he’s buying!” I gave the man my dealer’s info, and the rest is history; the only follow-up I received was that Dave bought a LOT of weed that day.
I’ve held onto this story for years out of respect for Dave’s privacy, but now that he’s openly talking about partaking in the ganj in the press, fuck it!
In a new interview with Metal Hammer, Mustaine opened up about his love for the sweet leaf, explaining that it helped him cope with many of the side effects brought on by the treatment he underwent for throat cancer last year:
“My last treatment was in September and I made plenty of time to rest, exercise and eat right before we went back out on tour. We did 22 dates overseas, and I feel great now, except for the fatigue. But I think a lot of that might be due to um, extracurricular activities. Staying up late. Not sleeping. Maybe a little, you know…” [moves thumb and forefinger to his lips and inhales deeply],
“Don’t screw around with the oil, man.” [the interview sought clarity on whether Mustaine was referring to CBD oil or the real thing] “If you’re gonna do it, get the good stuff. I think the world is just now finding out the beauty of cannabis and everything it can do for you. I hear people talk how it’s good for cancer patients. C’mon, it’s good for any fucking patient! The radiation zapped my salivary glands so I couldn’t make spit, which made it really hard to swallow and get food down. They gave me this crazy mouthwash to use that had Benadryl and lidocaine in it, but I still couldn’t eat. So cannabis helped with that, except I got a terrible craving for kiddie cereal. I went to the store and got, like, 20 boxes.”
Americans have been slow to come around on most progressive issues, but it’s been shocking to watch how quickly mass public opinion on weed has shifted in recent years. It’s hardly even taboo to talk about anymore!
Mustaine is currently laying down vocals for Megadeth’s next record, so it seems the weed did its job even if the red-maned one developed a Frosty Flakes habit in the meantime.
