Megadeth legend Dave Mustaine has opened up about his cancer recovery in a new interview. While speaking with Metal Hammer, Mustaine revealed he used marijuana to ease the side effects from 51 radiation treatments and nine chemotherapy sessions.

Mustaine beat the hell out of throat cancer, triumphantly announcing onstage that he was 100-percent cancer free while touring with Five Finger Death Punch. “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… [puts thumb and forefinger to his lips and inhales]”

Back in 2016, Mustaine tweeted out his support for legalization of medical marijuana, though he stopped short of endorsing full legalization for recreational purposes. “Vote state-by-state,” he suggested.

“I think the world is just now finding out the beauty of cannabis and everything it can do for you,” Mustaine tells Metal Hammer. “I hear people talk how it’s good for cancer patients. C’mon, it’s good for any fucking patient!”

Mustaine also delved into his experience with the munchies, admitting he binged on sugary cereal thanks to the sweet leaf. “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.”

“Trix with marshmallows. Froot Loops with marshmallows. Frosted Flakes. The kind with little marshmallows. You get the idea. My cancer team told me to try and watch the sugar intake, but they said, ‘Dave, if you can eat – then eat.’”

Before the coronavirus pandemic, Mustaine shared his hopes that Megadeth would release a new album in 2020. The thrashers planned to get into the studio after March 15, but had to postpone their studio time after everything began shutting down.

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