Do water absorbing polymers affect the taste of finished marijuana?
I experimented with the use of polymers on my canola farm over a period of years, and have grown cannabis in extreme drought conditions using these crystals. Growers have reported that these polymers adversely affect the taste of the finished product. Many others have reported no impact on the taste of the quality of the smoke. This debate and the difference of opinion is due to the type of polymer used. Polyacrylates will negatively impact the taste of cannabis. As noted, polyacrylates take approximately 4 to 6 months to completely break down – with intermediary chemicals including ammonia salts, nitrogen (nitrites), and CO2. This breakdown usually happens when most growers are flushing their plants – and it is the plant absorbing this residue that negatively impacts the taste, including a variety of sodium by-products. In contrast users of polyacrylamides – which take 5 to 7 years to break down – will not be introducing intermediary residual chemicals to their plants, and will not no
