ACT Chief Minister and Minister for Health Katy Gallagher today commended the creativity of entrants in the 2012 Art In, Butt Out Competition.

The competition was open to Year 8 students to design an anti-smoking advertisement. Angela Liao from Lyneham High won the competition and her anti-smoking design will appear on Canberra Milk cartons between September and October this year.

"The response was fantastic, so congratulations to all the Year 8 students who submitted entries. I also thank the parents and teachers who've supported them," the Chief Minister said.

"Smoking is one of the leading preventable causes of death in Australia. Every year 15,000 deaths are attributed to tobacco. Tobacco use also contributes to the burden of disease every year."

The ACT Government supports the Art In, Butt Out competition as an innovative way of helping young people get the message to other young people about the dangers of smoking.

"This program complements other efforts being taken by the ACT Government and community groups to reduce the dangers of tobacco smoking to the community," the Chief Minister said.

"In recent years the ACT community has seen the banning of tobacco displays at points of sale, restrictions on smoking in outdoor eating and drinking areas, and a prohibition on smoking in cars carrying children," the Chief Minister said.

All these efforts are aimed at 'denormalising' smoking in the community, and especially to discourage young people. Smoking uptake occurs overwhelmingly during childhood and adolescence with 80% of smokers beginning the habit in their teenage years.

"Encouraging students not to take up smoking, or to stop smoking, offers them an opportunity to live longer, healthier lives. I commend Canberra Milk, the AMA ACT and its Tobacco Taskforce on their commitment to this competition," the Chief Minister concluded.

The Art In, Butt Out competition was first run in 2008.