THE SPEAKER, WRITER and former drug smuggler Howard Marks had died at age 70.

The well-known personality, who first gained prominence after he published his memoir ‘Mr Nice’ about his career as a drug smuggler, died at age 70, after suffering from bowel cancer.

Known by his former alias ‘Mr Nice’, he was arrested and tried for smuggling drugs and spent seven years in prison, being released in 1995.

Upon his release, Marks published his memoir and gained prominence as a strong advocate for the legalisation of cannabis.

He stood for election to the UK parliament in 1997 on the single issue of legalising cannabis and worked in the music industry as well as appeared in a number of films.

However, his career was made as a speaker and performer – delivering speeches and to people across the world on his life as well as his beliefs on legalising drugs.

He also formerly wrote a column for Loaded magazine. His former colleague, the creator of the magazine, lamented the loss of Marks last night.

Brown told The Guardian that Marks was “truly lovely, entertaining and inspiring man” and a “true modern-day folk hero”.

In an interview with The Observer last year, Marks said that he had no regrets about his life and about how he had come to terms with having bowel cancer.

“I’ve come to terms with it in my own way – which for me was about learning how to cry,” Marks told the newspaper.

It’s impossible to regret any part of my life when I feel happy and I am happy now, so I don’t have any regrets and have not had any for a very long time.

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