FAMOUS drug smuggler turned writer Howard Marks has died aged 70 after losing his battle with cancer.
The performer, dubbed “Mr Nice”, revealed he had bowel cancer last year.
He has been described as a “truly lovely, entertaining and inspiring man”.
Marks first shot to fame in 1996 when he published a bestselling memoir after being released from a US prison.
The Welsh writer had been held for smuggling cannabis but turned to performing following his book success.
Lovely, entertaining, inspiring man. Like our loaded mag Dad. A true rogue & Great writer. We all adored him RIP HMpic.twitter.com/kgtyVI7V2H— James Brown (@jamesjamesbrown) April 10, 2016
Former colleague James Brown, founder of Loaded magazine, said he was a “true modern-day folk hero”, who had done “so many funny, shocking, illegal things”.
Mr Brown was told about Marks in the mid 1990s when he was informed about his “amazing story” and was told to include him in the magazine.
He said: “I read the book, and then gave him a column. He later told me it was his first job after he’d ‘gone straight’.
“He stood for everything we loved. Mr Nice was a thrilling book. Howard is a bloody great example to us all.”
Marks was born in 1945 near Bridgend, in Wales, and went to University of Oxford before turning his hand to cannabis smuggling.
He was snared by US authorities in 1988 and sentenced to 25 years behind bars but was released on parole in 1995.
Speaking about his illness to the Observer last year, he said: “Of course, the legalising of marijuana for medical purposes is to be welcomed.
“But, personally, I never wanted to have to wait until I had cancer before I could legally smoke.”
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