Using a long‐duration transverse discharge (300 ns) preionized by a short‐pulse electron‐beam gun (10 ns), laser emission has been obtained in the second positive system of nitrogen at &lgr;=3371 A˚ in nitrogen alone and at &lgr;=3577 A˚ in a N2‐CF4mixture. In the latter mixture, the laser emission lasts for 70 ns which is much longer than the radiative lifetime of the upper laser levelC 3&Pgr;u(&tgr;F=40 ns). We think that the blottleneck of the terminal laser level is avoided thanks to the vibrational deactivation of the nitrogenB 3&Pgr;gstate due to the irreversible transfer of vibrational energy of N2to CF4during collisions.