By The Associated Press
FERNDALE — Melissa Etheridge says she smoked medicinal marijuana to help with the side effects of chemotherapy during her treatment for breast cancer.
The 44-year-old singer, who was diagnosed over a year ago, is now cancer-free.
"Instead of taking five or six of the prescriptions, I decided to go a natural route and smoke marijuana," Etheridge said in an interview to air on "Dateline NBC."
When asked how her doctors reacted, Etheridge says, "Every single one was, 'Oh, yeah. That's the best help for the effects of chemotherapy.'"
Etheridge said she smoked marijuana every day for her pain and symptoms and "the minute I didn't feel it, I stopped."
The use of marijuana with a doctor's recommendation is legal in California and nine other states and will be on the ballot in Ferndale on Nov. 8.
The Ferndale City Council sent the issue to the city's general election ballot at an August meeting.
If voters approve the initiative, Ferndale would be the third city in Michigan to allow medical marijuana use. Detroit and Ann Arbor voters approved it last year.
Ferndale Police Chief Michael Kitchen told the City Council that even if voters pass the proposal Nov. 8, his officers would enforce state laws outlawing marijuana use.
Marijuana use is also against federal law. Asked if she was concerned about federal prosecution, Etheridge replied, "No, I didn't worry. But it was worth it."