Cocaine is so 2024. This is the new drug obsession among the ‘wines and lines’ school mums – and they insist it makes them BETTER mothers

As I settled into my chair to celebrate a birthday dinner at a trendy Mexican bar, I noticed that my friends all looked remarkably relaxed and stress-free.

Since we each have multiple children, there’s no denying that we’re in the depths of exhausted parenting desperation, often congratulating ourselves for just making it through another week.

But here I was running late and desperately trying to get the attention of a passing waiter to get something to drink when they all seemed… way too cold.

As I sipped my sauvignon blanc and tried to keep up with the conversations and the atmosphere, I just couldn’t put my finger on it.

Fresh filling? No. A weekend away? Apparently not. A new au pair? No chance. So what gave them all that satisfied glow?

“I microdose some shrooms before I left home,” one smiled as she opened her well-worn “going” out out’ the clutch, revealing a pair of unlabeled white bottles that looked more like eye drops than illegal drugs.

I immediately thought back to the festival’s heyday in the mid-1990s. I grew up in Cornwall, England, where mushrooms grew on our school field and a few years later were our drug of choice at music events.

Hippies, ravers, wayward teenagers: you expect them to use magic mushrooms. But not respectable middle-class mothers.

I had heard all kinds of stories about people seeing little firemen running through the fields and psychedelic clouds chasing them.

But here I was surrounded by suburban mothers, all quietly kicking the habit while having intelligent conversations and sipping chilled wine.

To be honest, the illegal part didn’t even cross my mind. The ‘wines and lines’ mother brigade have been a regular feature at family-friendly events here in Australia for years.

At barbecues, children’s parties and even school fundraisers, there is always a steady stream of ladies in high heels conspicuously powdering their noses in the bathroom stalls.

And as a fellow sleep-deprived mom, I understand. No judgment here.

But cocaine has has become increasingly problematic for social users in recent years. For a few reasons: first, the exorbitant price and second, the fact that you never really know what you’re buying.

“It’s expensive and because mortgage rates are so high, I can’t justify it that often,” said a former cocaine mom who recently converted to “magic mushrooms.” “And honestly, you can’t really trust what’s in coke anymore.”

She’s not wrong. A 2022 study from the Australian National University found that only three out of five cocaine samples tested actually contained cocaine.

“Here I was surrounded by suburban mothers who were all quietly weaning off drugs while having intelligent conversations and sipping chilled wine,” writes Jonica Bray (pictured)

‘And I just feel better with mushrooms. I am happier, more focused and not as overwhelmed. The days that follow I sleep better and wake up rested. “I’m a better parent for it,” she added.

Recent studies have found that people who reported microdosing with mushrooms saw improvements in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.

For the uninitiated, microdosing refers to taking very small doses of substances, often psychedelics, for therapeutic or performance-enhancing benefits. The trend started in the 2010s among tech bros in Silicon Valley, but has since spread to the suburbs.

Mushroom use is illegal in Australia and carries a maximum penalty of 20 years if caught with a commercial quantity. But mushroom use has increased and doubled since 2019.

Since that night at the Mexican restaurant, I’ve been asking around for “magic mushrooms.” More than a few moms in my group chat admit to microdosing a few times a week and claim it makes them a better parent.

“I enjoy the kids more,” said a mother of twins. ‘Parenting doesn’t feel like such a chore.

Recent studies have shown that people who reported microdosing magic mushrooms saw improvements in symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress (stock image)

‘I don’t feel high and I don’t have hallucinations. I actually have more control and get a lot more done with my time.”

Another mother, who recently returned to her busy job in city finance after maternity leave, said she was also a weekly user.

‘It’s like the baby brain fog lifts and I have more energy. I am more productive and much less snappy with the kids when I get home and on weekends.

‘More research should be done to make them legal because as far as I’m concerned, mushy mums are a lot better than some of the alternatives.’

• The images in this article are stock photos only and do not depict individuals engaged in the conduct referenced in the article