Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drug Association (ATODA) ACT executive officer Carrie Fowlie told the first meeting of the Abbott government's taskforce in Brisbane this week that crystal methamphetamine was responsible for increasing harms to individuals and the community, with a disproportionate impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Citing a report released by the group this week, Ms Fowlie said there was no evidence of an epidemic of ice in Australia.

"We urged the National Ice Taskforce to stick to the facts, recommend evidence-based strategies and resist being alarmist," she said.

"Given fear has been driving the rhetoric, the public could be forgiven for thinking that we aren't responding and don't know what to do. That's not true.

"Australia has quality, evidence-informed and cost-effective drug treatment, harm reduction and support services. The problem is we just don't have enough of them in enough places."

This week ATODA called on the ACT government to provide $1.6 million in funding from next month's ACT budget for treatment and education, as ice users increasingly suffer from the effects of the higher-purity drugs.

The new report showed a 36 per cent increase over four years in demand for non-government drug treatment services in the ACT, while the rate of methamphetamine use has stood steady at 2.1 per cent of the population for about a decade.

Ms Fowlie told the taskforce a lack of research had led to "a mass media campaign based on fear".

"One of the worst things we can do is to allow young people and families to think methamphetamine use is commonplace when it is not," she said. "Ninety-eight per cent of Australians don't use methamphetamine."

ATODA told taskforce members that any new state or federal investment should build upon funding for drug treatment, harm reduction and support. Real-time data and research was needed.

The meeting heard 66 per cent of Australia's drugs budget is spent on law enforcement, compared with 21.3 per cent on treatment. Harm reduction measures receive 2.3 per cent of current funding.

"We thanked the taskforce for choosing to have their first expert meeting with the state and territory alcohol and other drug peak bodies and we offered ongoing support," Ms Fowlie said.

"The taskforce acknowledged the significant expertise and contributions of the alcohol and other drug sector."

The report said despite stability in prevalence of ice use, "it is clear that there has been increasing harm across the country", while Australia has the highest rate of methamphetamine use in the English-speaking world.

About 50 per cent of people who use methamphetamine favour the crystalline form, commonly known as ice.

This figure has risen from 22 per cent five years ago.

The national taskforce was established to prepare a coordinated ice action strategy, overseen by federal assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash and Justice Minister Michael Keenan.

Chaired by former chief commissioner of Victoria Police Ken Lay, the taskforce will examine existing state and territory efforts to address the impact of ice and establish a coordinated approach to education, health and law enforcement.

An interim report will be presented to Prime Minister Tony Abbott by mid-2015 ahead of a meeting of the Council of Australian Governments.