Survivor Winner Ethan Zohn: Cancer, Cannabis & the Fight to Survive

October 1, 2026

Survivor winner Ethan Zohn has faced challenges far beyond reality television. In this episode of Let’s Be Blunt with Montel, Montel sits down with Ethan — former professional soccer player, two-time cancer survivor, humanitarian and cannabis advocate — for a candid conversation about survival, serious illness, medical cannabis and finding purpose in the hardest moments of life.

Ethan opens up about his cancer journey, undergoing aggressive treatment and stem-cell transplants, and how cannabis became part of his experience managing some of the physical and emotional challenges surrounding treatment. He and Montel compare their experiences as patients who became outspoken medical cannabis advocates at a time when the stigma surrounding the plant was very different.

They also dig into responsible cannabis use, patient education, youth prevention, the changing attitudes toward cannabis in professional sports, and where the industry still has work to do.

Plus, Ethan takes us behind the scenes of Kicking Back, his High Times series that brings together two major parts of his life: soccer and cannabis. Traveling through World Cup host cities across America, Ethan explores how local soccer and cannabis communities help shape the culture of each city.

From winning Survivor: Africa to surviving cancer twice and turning his experiences into advocacy, Ethan's story is ultimately about what happens after you survive — and what you choose to do with the life you've been given.

Subscribe to Let’s Be Blunt with Montel for more conversations about cannabis, science, health, culture, policy and the people moving the industry forward.

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