Cultivation of the crop began thousands of years ago in China where the people had little regard for the psycho-active side effects of the plant (Richardson 41). ... Pilgrims used the plant's fibers to make clothing and rope as well, and the cultivation of the crop helped to boost the local shipbuilding industry. ... This plant was also widely used to make sails and rigging for ships. However, during the 1930's, the plant's favor began to fall as petrochemical plants lobbied for the plant to become illegal in order to reduce competition (Conrow 8), and despite objections from th...

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