“Many teenagers start smoking at the age of 14,” states the foundation’s press release. As school is the most likely place for teenagers to adopt this habit, Cancer.lu has decided to raise awareness among teachers and students alike by educating them not only on the consequences of smoking but also by encouraging them to stop smoking if they have already developed the habit. The contest takes place online between 8 November 2021 and 5 May 2022 and features monthly quizzes and class reports.

At the end of the challenge, all finalists--meaning all classes that have remained smoke-free--are invited to a final event that serves both as a competition and celebration. If, for sanitary reasons, the party is cancelled, a draw will be held to determine the victor. To motivate the students even more, cash prizes will be distributed to the top three winners: €1,000 for first place, €500 for second and €250 for third.

A European concern

Launched by the Finnish government in 1989, the initiative has since been adopted by over twenty European countries and takes places simultaneously in Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Estonia, Greece and the UK, among others. Though the name of the contest changes according to the country, the aim remains the same: keeping children and young people away from preventable harm.

Luxembourg joined the trend in 1999 and has since motivated 3,000 classes and 60,000 students to sign up for the challenge

A long-standing tradition to form a healthy future

In Luxembourg, where 26% of the nation smokes and around 1,000 people die from active and passive smoking every year, according to Cancer.lu, the mission could have a lasting impact. Indeed, Cancer.lu says that staying away from cigarettes is much easier than quitting later. The contest is aimed at teaching young students to refuse temptation by educating them on the short and long-term effects of the habit.

Though the long-lasting effects of the contest haven’t been published, the foundation states that the competition has a positive impact on students during the two years following the event. 109 classes and 2,027 students took part in the 2020 edition. "Our goal remains the same and the Mission Nichtrauchen competition is an essential part of it: it creates a tobacco free generation so that the youths of today do not become the smokers of tomorrow,” says Lucienne Thommes, the Cancer Foundation’s director.

Leading by example

Any teacher interested in signing up their class to the challenge has until 18 October to do so. Missing an event or failing a quiz will not disqualify participants, though active participation will add points to the total. Interestingly, teachers do not seem to be included in the oath to remain smoke-free. Perhaps, this condition would make for a motivating criterion. After all, the best way to motivate is by leading the way.