Table 1.

Examples of feedback provided during the normative feedback intervention to a participant who smoked more than five cigarettes per day and used cannabis less than once per week.

Intervention step	Example
Feedback on tobacco use frequency	You indicated smoking an average of 12 cigarettes per day. Among Swiss males, 70% do not smoke at all. Only approximately 10% smoke more than you.
Feedback on cigarette dependence	Your nicotine dependence is classified as high. Your result means that quitting may be more difficult for you compared to people with low dependence. Presumably, you will experience withdrawal symptoms. Nevertheless, these symptoms will weaken soon, and there are helpful aids against them. For instance, nicotine replacement therapy is very effective. However, quitting smoking requires more than just getting through the withdrawal symptoms. For example, you should develop individual strategies to help you cope with risk situations where the temptation of smoking a cigarette is high. Professional support (eg, a smoking cessation course) can be very helpful in developing such strategies.
Feedback on cannabis use frequency	During the past 4 weeks, you used cannabis two or three times. A survey revealed that 89% of Swiss adolescents and young adults do not use cannabis at all. Only 4% use it more often than you.
Combined feedback	Of course, it is not easy to quit both substances simultaneously for good, especially after having smoked cigarettes on a regular basis. You can ask for support at [name of a center for addiction counseling and treatment] and mention that you also smoke joints occasionally.