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the answers, their results have been compelling. I've traveled with an appetite for learning
why Europe has fewer drug-related deaths, less drug-related violence, less drug-related in-
carceration, and less drug consumption per capita than we do here in America. (I have to
admit, though, that as I reviewed the numbers to back up my claims for this chapter, I dis-
covered one irrefutable fact: Statistics on drug use and abuse are all over the map. While
most of the empirical studies reinforce my conclusions, conflicting data always seem to
emerge. I assume this is because most sources have an agenda—pro or con—which skews
their findings.)
In an Amsterdam “coffeeshop,” you won't find coffee.
To be clear, there is no Europe-wide agreement on drug policy. Some coun-
tries—including the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland—categorize marijuana
as a soft drug (similar to alcohol and tobacco). Others—including Iceland and
Greece—strictly enforce laws against both marijuana and hard drugs (in fact, drug-related
arrests are on the rise in some countries). But what most European countries have in com-
mon is an emphasis on education and prevention rather than incarceration. They believe
