The Department of Health-commissioned research, finalised in mid-2013, found “the use and the desire to use ice has declined”, the drug’s “brand” among young people had been “damaged” and overall illicit drug use had become “normalised in society”.

The revelation of the confidential drug research adds to a confusing picture about the use of ice, also known as methamphetamine, in Australia as strong debate continues about whether it is best treated as a law and order problem, a public health issue, or both.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott recently said Australia’s ice problem was “way beyond anything before now” and the Australian Crime Commission has warned “ice is emerging as a pandemic akin to the issue of ‘crack’ cocaine in the United States”.

Mr Abbott has established a national ice taskforce headed by Victoria’s former police chief Ken Lay and launched an $11 million national advertising blitz.

The taskforce, which is travelling Australia, is understood to have received overwhelming feedback from various communities concerned by the devastating consequences of ice use in their area.

But public health experts such as Melbourne University’s John Fitzgerald have warned against scare campaigns and said data showed only 2 per cent of Australians were using ice and the overall number of amphetamine users had declined from 1998.

To support its contention that ice use had declined, the research paper cited 2012 statistics showing a 23 per cent decrease in the use of ice by regular ecstasy and psychostimulant drug takers between 2003 and 2012.

In regards to ice, speed and heroin, the research advised “there did not seem to be any current need to communicate to young people specifically”.

“It appears that ecstasy and cocaine have the most potential for increased usage in the near future, if there are changes to certain market conditions,” the research stated.

However, the paper noted ice use was rebounding from a low of 15 per cent of regular drug users surveyed having admitted taking it during 2009.

If that trend continued, the paper suggested that “the ice campaign may need to be revisited”.

The research, involving 1600 online interviews of people aged 12 to 24, concluded “perceptions of ice appear to have worsened” and only 2 per cent of the participants had admitted to using the drug.

“Heroin and ice are the most likely to be perceived as dangerous drugs (76 and 74 per cent respectively) ... alcohol only 17 per cent,” the paper found.

“Ice has strong negative connotations which are held by drug users and non-users alike. Of all the drugs explored it probably has the clearest perceptions of all.

“For drug users, ice is often held up as a line they would not cross and among ice users themselves there is acute awareness of the negative potential of the drug ... users were perceived to be intense, psycho, junkies, anti-social, boring.”

A Health Department spokeswoman acknowledged there was a view “that 2.1 per cent of the population using methamphetamines is not an epidemic”, but added this overall prevalence did not take into account the damage caused by ice and its significant impact on rural and regional communities.