Archbishop Charles Scicluna made oblique references to cannabis on New Year’s Day, arguing that anything that causes damage "cannot be called recreational."

In his homily during a New Year’s Day mass held at Id-Dar tal-Providenza, the archbishop urged Catholics to teach themselves “that what is truly recreational is constructive and gives us a new start.”

“Can something that destroys me or drives me mad be recreational? Or something that empties my pockets and brings my parents a truckload of worry – can that be recreational?"

Scicluna said "be it drugs or alcohol, if something is harmful, it can never be recreational as it does not offer one peace of mind." 

He said true peace can never be bought or sown at home for a "high". 

Malta in December became the first European country to introduce laws to regulate recreational cannabis use.

The Church has been at the forefront of campaigning against recreational cannabis and the new law.  

Church organisations and NGOs have argued the reforms have the potential for "massive harm propagation" within society, particularly among vulnerable groups, among children and among youths.

They argued that the law was rushed through prematurely, without sufficient research or public debate. 

On the other hand, the government has argued that the cannabis law is focused on harm reduction and seeks to end the criminalisation and stigma surrounding cannabis use. 

The new law was approved by parliament in December. All Labour MPs voted in favour of the bill while the opposition voted against it. 

It allows cannabis users to legally grow up to four plants and purchase buds and seeds for personal use. Users can also carry up to 7g of cannabis in public without fear of arrest, though smoking it in public remains prohibited.

Anyone with a criminal record for cannabis possession can apply to have it struck off.