Drug treatment at the crossroads is a distillation of the many voices and opinions heard at the events we held in Edinburgh, Manchester and London. Naturally, there was disagreement, but also a surprising degree of consensus between participants – not least the agreement that drug treatment deserves support and investment. And we are encouraged to learn that this belief in the importance of drug treatment is shared by the public. Over three quarters (76 per cent) of the people who responded to an ICM/DrugScope survey (February 2009) agreed that drug treatment is a sensible use of government money, so long as it benefits individuals, families and communities. This is an important and significant endorsement for investment in a system that benefits a stigmatised and marginalised group, at a time of straitened financial circumstances.