I entirely disagree with the other replies that it’s easier to home brew good beer than grow good weed. Homebrewing requires specific equipment and careful attention to temperatures, times and clean procedures. Growing good weed requires: good genetics (seeds) & a basic understanding of the needs of a plant (water, sun, something to keep bugs off it).
Growing top-end green is somewhat difficult because it needs to be done either indoors or in a properly sealed greenhouse as to get the most out of the genetics you have to ensure the female plants aren’t pollinated by the males. Sensimilla, baby. The thing is that if you have seeds that have good genetics it will produce pretty killer weed even if the plants do end up pollinated. Genetics trumps all.
This book is excellent and addresses the reasons behind the ongoing prohibition: http://books.google.com.au/books?id=auatLlqO_AIC&printsec=frontcover&vq=driving
TLDR: Alcohol companies know they stand to lose big $ if it’s legalised so they throw their full weight, wallet and pack of lobbyists behind the promotion and perpetuation of the myths of the war on drugs.
The growing-your-own-means-no-tax-revenue is fucking nonsense. If weed is being grown you are going to have incidental costs that are taxed: tools, fertiliser, lights, quality soil. You’re also going to have an increased spend on munchies because: it’s not like people typically save disposable income. The money that isn’t being spent on weed/beer/whatever is still going to be spent. At present if you’re buying weed on the black market then that’s a spend in the economy which isn’t being taxed… a lost opportunity to raise some money to pay for the impacts of smoking weed: an impact whose cost must already be footed.
