(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Joan Rivers smoked pot because she "was stressed".

The star used to enjoy the occasional cigarette filled with the substance when she was living in California with her daughter Melissa.

Cannabis is available as a medical prescription in the US state and the 79-year-old said it helped her to relax.

"I was stressed out about stuff and in California you go and get pot. I got a doctor prescription and they put you on pot. You giggle a lot," she told Australian radio show Kyle and Jackie O.

However, the TV host decided to stop smoking when she realised she was gaining weight.

One of the side effects of consuming cannabis can be an increase in appetite.

As the star of US style show Fashion Police, the Hollywood icon is conscious of her looks.

"The only thing is you put on weight, so I got off that quickly," Joan said. (C) Cover Media