Joe Rogan Experience #1303 - Tommy Chong

Chong uses tango as his primary exercise, describing it as ‘old folk sex’ that offers balance, coordination, intimacy, and a reason to keep his body engaged and alive, which he links directly to longevity and vitality.

He believes stress, quitting weed, and medical procedures contributed to his rectal cancer progression, and argues that cannabis helped calm his mind, reduce fear, and support his body through radiation, surgery, and recovery.

In prison, Chong read extensively, wrote, learned about tango and spirituality, helped others with tools like the I Ching, and treated incarceration as a monastic‑style retreat rather than solely as punishment.

He describes doctors, accountants, and speechwriters imprisoned for tax or technical offenses, and notes the U.S. has a vast, quasi‑socialist prison system that provides food and medical care while profiting from over‑incarceration.

Both men stress that weed doesn’t inherently make people lazy or stupid; when used intentionally it can deepen focus, creativity, sex, and sleep, but used compulsively it can also become a crutch or a way to do nothing.

Chong contrasts Reefer Madness‑style hysteria with Cheech & Chong’s playful depictions of weed, and criticizes gun culture as rooted in paranoia, pointing out how mass shootings, media, and entertainment normalize violence.

Through the I Ching and metaphysical readings of the Bible, Chong believes ‘spirit’ communicates with people, providing surprisingly specific insights in jail that helped him and others contextualize trauma and make decisions.