Olivia Newton-John defends using marijuana as treatment for breast cancer: 'It's a healing plant'

Olivia Newton-John is steadfast in her second battle with breast cancer, and she provided fans another positive update about her progress.

The 68-year-old year old actress and singer opened up about how she's doing in a new interview with "The Today Show" on September 21. The "Grease" star had been in remission from breast cancer for 25 years before learning it had returned four months ago.

"I guess it was a little surprising," she said. "I never would have associated it because in my mind, it was over. I had finished with it."

The cancer had metastasized in her sacrum. She initially thought she suffered from sciatica, but when she had increasing trouble walking, she sought additional treatment.

Olivia underwent chemotherapy, but has supplemented traditional cancer treatments with alternative wellness therapies. She has been receiving care at the Victoria-based Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre, which focuses on supplementary massage, art therapy, and mediation among other treatments. In addition, she's been open about her use of medical marijuana, which her husband John Easterling grows.

Image: Getty

"People have this vision from the ’60s of people just sitting around and getting stoned," she said, defending the use of cannabis as alternative medicine. "It’s not about that. This plant is a healing plant. I think we need to change the vision of what it is because it helped me greatly and it helps with pain and inflammation."

On her outlook, Olivia maintains a "glass half full" attitude.

"I don’t read into prognosis and statistics because I think that can really be depressing," she said. "I’m not going to be one of those statistics, I’m going to be fine."

She added, "I will probably deal with this in my life as an ongoing thing. I think you can live with cancer the way you live with other things if you take care of yourself."

In her mind, she's not just a cancer survivor, but a "thriver".

"Survivor sounds like someone clinging onto a lifeboat to me," she said. "A thriver is someone who’s already off the boat and on land."