Letter to the editor: Nonsmoking policies pay off for employers

With the approach of Labor Day, when we celebrate the importance of working people in our local and national economic life, I want to commend Cal LeMon for his recent frank and informative column headlined "Effects of smoking drain business, society."

It was a clear and undeniable message that every employer in the Springfield community who doesn't already have a smoke-free workplace should take to heart in striving to achieve clean indoor air.

Here are some additional facts, passed along by Americans for Nonsmokers Rights, that should prompt employers to think more seriously about the benefits of a smoke-free workplace.

On average, smokers miss two more days per year due to sickness than do nonsmokers.

Businesses pay an average of $2,189 in workers' compensation costs for smokers compared with $176 for nonsmokers.

The average health insurance payment for smoking employees is $1,145 versus $762 for nonsmokers, according to the American Cancer Society.

Smoke-free restaurants can save about $190 per 1,000 square feet yearly in lower cleaning and maintenance costs, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

In 1998, smoking materials caused 8,700 fires in nonresidential structures resulting in direct property damage of $60.5 million.

Fire insurance is commonly reduced 25 percent to 30 percent in smoke-free businesses.

Springfield is making strides as more and more employers recognize the value of the smoke-free workplace, but much more needs to be done to reach the ultimate goal of protecting for everyone the air we share.

One of the things the Missouri Partnership on Smoking or Health would like to do is start an honor roll of workplaces that already have an indoor no-smoking policy.

If you are one of those, give me a call at 417-883-4307.

Mike Schilling

Advocacy coordinator

Missouri Partnership on Smoking or Health