By By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
March 9, 2004
The American Cancer Society showed its gratitude Monday to Peavey Electronics Corp. for making its offices, plants and the surrounding properties smoke-free.
Tim Nelson, Peavey's general manager of human resources, said the change affects more than 30 Peavey properties and about 1,200 employees.
Hartley Peavey, founder and owner of the company, and his wife, Mary, said there were several reasons for prohibiting smoking at their properties.
She also said banning smoking could save money for employees whose individual health insurance costs go up with each claim to the policy associated with a smoking-related illness.
Robert Morris, vice president of the American Cancer Society for Mississippi and Arkansas, said it is estimated that if all work places in the United States were smoke-free, the per capita consumption of cigarettes would decrease by 4.5 percent yearly.