I've visited American friends who have settled in Europe over the years (along with many Europeans who have lived in the US). I gather that its a sort of trade off...Europe has the culture, transportation, style, and grade school education (not colleges so much) we envy, but it does lack "freedom". I've heard its crazy hard to get a building permit and buy a home. It is bureaucratic/expensive, you are more in a fishbowl, and yes, so many people smoke. It is a great place to visit, not sure I'd want to live there...