​It runs against the most basic business acumen to give your product away for free, but next week that is just what Chelsea Green Publishing is going to do.

Paperback copies of the book will be available on the Chelsea Green website for a discounted price of $10.

April 20 is significant because over the years “420” has become a counterculture holiday, where the primary mode of celebration is smoking marijuana publicly.

Chelsea Green Publishing said the move is intended to raise awareness of marijuana’s relative safety when compared to alcohol in the face of California’s impending referendum for legalization in November.

In one of those oh-so-delicious twists of irony, April is also, coincidentally, National Alcohol Awareness month.

“This promotion is all about getting the message out there,” said Kate Rados, Chelsea Green’s director of digital initiatives. “Via our partners and web communities, we’ll be offering the free download to more than 200,000 people.”





​”Add to that the enormous reach of Scribd, and we’re poised to make a massive impact on people’s perception’s of marijuana,” Rados said.