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The current study aimed to describe the characteristics (demographics, drug use, mental and physical health) of entrants to treatment for heroin dependence in three treatment modalities; and to compare these characteristics with heroin users not in or seeking treatment. Participants were 825 current heroin users recruited from Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne: 277 entering methadone/buprenorphine maintenance treatment (MT), 288 entering detoxification (DTX), 180 entering drug‐free residential rehabilitation (RR) and 80 not in treatment (NT). Treatment entrants were generally long‐term heroin users with previous treatment experience. The majority of the sample (55%) were criminally active in the month preceding interview. Injection‐related health problems (74%) and a history of heroin overdose (58%) were commonly reported. There were high degrees of psychiatric co‐morbidity, with 49% reporting severe …