The Life of a Drug Distributor’s Daughter

Rainbow Valentine grew up in a typical 1970s-80s American family. Or so she thought. During her high school years, she learned that the garbage bags of pot in her living room were not so normal. In fact, her parents were pot distributors who delivered loads of marijuana all across the country from their California home. Rainbow’s podcast, Disorganized Crime: Smuggler’s Daughter, tells their story. 

The Right Time to Open Up

Rainbow Valentine (a name she gave to herself when she was five years old) works as a TV show creator. With a number of states across the country legalizing marijuana, some of Rainbow’s friends at iHeart Radio approached her to create a podcast about her parents’ previous job. After clearing it with their attorney, Rainbow’s parents agreed to share the story about their previous life as pot distributors. 

Several months ago, Rainbow sat down with her parents to produce the first season of the Disorganized Crime series. She compares the podcasting experience to telling stories around the campfire. She believes it was a great way to honor them. 

Everything Seemed Normal

Disorganized Crime: Smugglers Daughter takes listeners back to Marin County, California (outside of San Francisco) in the 1970s-80s, where the counterculture generation moved to raise children. Pot was everywhere. It was so common among adults that many children refused to smoke because they thought it was “lame”. Within this context, Rainbow thought she was part of a normal American family. 

When Rainbow was in high school in the late 1980s, her older sister told her that their parents were drug distributors. They moved thousands of pounds of pot across state lines, including frequent delivery trips to New York. Their job even made them acquaintances with celebrities like the Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin. At first, Rainbow was shocked and horrified by this revelation. But as time passed, she began to appreciate her parents’ way of life. The Disorganized Crime: Smugglers Daughter podcast tells this story.

Life After Pot Distributing

After having quit the pot distribution business in the early 1990s, Rainbow’s parents are now working in the medicinal marijuana field in California. They spend much of their free time outdoors (especially at the beach). Rainbow’s mother also paints while Rainbow’s dad plays music.

Rainbow’s parents focus on beauty, love, and art. They have always stayed away from dangerous drugs (like cocaine), which is why they continue to live peaceful lives to this day. The Disorganized Crime podcast helps shine a light into the atypical and fascinating life story of Rainbow’s parents. They have listened to the podcast and were honored to be part of Rainbow’s beautiful storytelling.

Catch up on all of the Payne in the Pod episodes, here. And don’t forget, Payne in the Pod is on Patreon – become a Patron! 

Rainbow Valentine’s Personal Podcast Recommendations:

Dolly Parton’s America 

My Favorite Murder

Science Friday

Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me

The Joe Rogan Experience

S-Town

Find Rainbow at:

Website: rainbowvalentine