Here's a little bit of info on the amazing man, Howard Marks.






During the mid 1980s, Howard Marks had forty-three aliases, eighty-nine phone lines, and twenty five companies trading throughout the world.

Bars, recording studios, offshore banks: all were money-laundering vehicles serving the core activity: dope dealing.

Marks began to deal during a postgraduate philosophy course at Oxford and was soon moving large quantities of hashish into Europe and America in the equipment of touring rock bands. The academic life began to lose its allure.

At the height of his career, he was smuggling consignments of up to thirty tons from Pakistan and Thailand to America and Canada and had contact with organisations as diverse as the CIA, MI6, the IRA, and the Mafia.

After many years and a world-wide operation by the Drug Enforcement Agency, he was busted and sentenced to twenty five years in prison at the United States Federal Penitentiary, Terre Haute, Indiana, the site of America's only Federal Death Row.

He was released on parole in April 1995 after serving seven years of his sentence.

Dennis Howard Marks (born August 13, 1945 in Kenfig Hill, near Bridgend, Wales) achieved notoriety as an international cannabis smuggler through high-profile court cases, connections with groups such as MI6, the IRA, and the Mafia, and his eventual conviction at the hands of the American Drug Enforcement Agency.

He attended the Garw Grammar School prior to going attending Balliol College, Oxford between 1964 and 1967 to study Natural Science, Physics (B.A., Oxon). After this he studied Physics (Grad. Inst P.) at the University of London (1967 to 1968). Then, back to Balliol, Oxford (1968 to 1969) to study History and Philosophy (Dip. H.Ph. Sc.) and then on to the University of Sussex (1969 to 1970) to study Philosophy of Science (M.A., Oxon).

He now lives in Palma de Mallorca. He spent seven years imprisoned in the United States Penitentiary, in Terre Haute. During his smuggling career, he allegedly did not use violence and refused to deal with hard drugs. Both he and his now ex-wife Judy Marks were extradited from Mallorca, Spain to Florida. They have three children together Amber, Francesca and Patrick. He has an older daughter, Myfanwy, from a 5 year relationship with Rosie Lewis

Since his release, Marks has published a best-selling autobiography, Mr Nice (Secker and Warburg, 1996), which has been translated into many languages. Along with 'Mr Nice', Howard has also compiled an anthology called The Howard Marks Book of Dope Stories (Vintage, 2001) and more recently a follow on from his autobiography; SeƱor Nice: Straight Life From Wales to South America (Harvill Secker, 2006). In 2003 one of Howard's partners in the 'movement of beneficial herbs industry', Phil Sparrowhawk published his autobiography, written with Martin Knight, entitled Grass, (Mainstream 2003). Marks is a campaigner for the legalisation of cannabis and tours the world with a one-man show. He also appeared in the documentary Stoned in Suburbia aired on Sky One in the UK.

Judy Marks has also written her autobiography of their life together entitled "Mr Nice and Mrs Marks" published by Ebury Press, 2006.

Howard Marks stood for election to UK Parliament in 1997, on the single issue of the legalize cannabis campaign. He contested 4 seats at once: Norwich South (against future Home Secretary Charles Clarke), Norwich North, Neath and Southampton Test. The average vote was over 1%.

This led to the formation of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA) by Alun Buffry in 1999.


Join his site for updates, more info and community forums.

www.howardmarks.info ///\\\ The Official Website of Howard Marks, aka Mr. Nice

Also help the LCA. One day we'll be the majority, and we'll be smoking whenever and whereever we like. Just the way it should be.
LIP Reviewed by LIP on . Pro Cannabis Program. Well, last night i was flicking through my sky with a spliff and a bottle of stella when i though i saw the word "Stoned" so i clicked back and there was this program called "Stoned In Suburbia" It was talking about the cannabis culture in England, talking about our skunk, and talking about our infamous soapbar. There was plenty of people giving their views, about how good it was! It was a pro cannabis program. I was amazed. Even Howard Marks was on it. We shouldnt have to smoke soapbar, Rating: 5