US Congressman Barney Frank speaks out in favor of legalizing marijuana Congressman Barney Frank calls the US ban on marijuana a 'big hypocrisy' and says too much money is being spent on prosecuting people who smoke it. 'Instead of this being a drain on our resources, we could tax it like anything else and use it as a contribution to revenues,' the openly gay politician said in an interview with CNN. Frank, who is retiring from congress in November, said he himself does not smoke pot but he did have marijuana once - as a snack. 'I did have a brownie once,' he said. 'It made me sleepy.' The congressman believes that since alcohol and cigarettes are legal, marijuana should be too since he doesn't believe it's any more harmful. 'I think, frankly, it contributes a good deal to the sense of unfairness among young people who are told they shouldn't do this because it's got all these negative effects, but then see older people engaging in all kinds of things that probably have greater impact on people,' he said.