Cardinal Norberto Rivera, the archbishop of Mexico City, announced that the church has no problem with people using marijuana for medicinal purposes.

The 73-year-old Roman Catholic official touted the natural healing properties of pot, The Associated Press reports. The archbishop recalled that, when he was young, marijuana was commonly used for pain relief.

In November, Mexican Sen. Cristina Díaz proposed legislation aimed at allowing imports of cannabis-based medicine. As AFP reports, Díaz informed the Senate that she was championing marijuana strictly for its medicinal properties.

"I am not talking about legalizing marijuana. I am talking about the possibility that Congress will authorize imports of this type of medicine," she said. "The debate must be around the medical benefits of using cannabis, which is something that has grown in the United States, Britain, Germany and elsewhere."

Díaz claimed her legislation would benefit around 5,000 people in Mexico. The move to legalize medical marijuana across the board came after the Mexican Supreme Court ruled to allow a small group of people to legally use marijuana.

As CNN reports, Lisa Sanchez, the director of a nongovernmental organization that helped to promote the decriminalization of the the drug, called the prohibition against cannabis excessive, intrusive and unnecessary. Sanchez said the Supreme Court's ruling was a paradigm shift that expanded new liberties and existing rights.

President Enrique Peña Nieto has voiced his opposition to the legalization of marijuana.

“I am not in favor of consuming or legalizing marijuana," he said, according to The Guardian.

The Mexican leader explained that pot has been proven to damage the health of children and youths. Furthermore, Peña Nieto said he did not think legalizing the drug would help fight organized crime.