The war on drugs has been official American policy since the 1970s. It is at best a failed policy, according to bestselling author Antony Loewenstein. Its direct results have included mass incarceration in the US and extreme violence in different parts of the world. And now the Trump administration is unleashing diplomatic and military forces against any softening of the conflict.

Pills, Powder, and Smoke investigates the individuals, officials, activists, victims, DEA agents and traffickers caught up in this deadly war. Travelling through the UK, the US, Australia, Honduras, the Philippines and Guinea-Bissau, Loewenstein uncovers the secrets of the drug war.

In reporting on the front lines across the globe, Loewenstein reveals how the war on drugs has become the most deadly war in modern times. Its agenda has nothing to do with ending drug use or addiction, but is all about controlling markets, territories and people. Instead, Loewenstein argues, the legalisation and regulation of all drugs would be a much more realistic and humane approach. The evidence presented in this book will persuade many listeners that he’s right.