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When Jarred Shaw, an American basketball player in Indonesia, went down to the lobby of his residence earlier this year to pick up a delivery with illegally imported cannabis gummies, he believed his medication for relieving his chronic inflammatory condition had arrived.

It had – but so too had a team of ten plainclothes officers. Footage circulating online shows the athlete, wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, crying out in distress as the swarm of officers attempt to detain him.

Facing Harsh Penalties

The Texan native, aged 35, could face potential the death penalty or extended imprisonment. Previously, he served as a key member of his Indonesian team, which clinched the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) in 2023, and he scored over a thousand points over three seasons in the nation. However, currently he remains in pre-trial detention and is banned for life from the league.

“I use cannabis as a medicine,” he explained over the phone from his cell near Jakarta, the capital. “I suffer from an inflammatory condition called Crohn’s disease that’s untreatable. There’s no medicine besides cannabis that relieves my stomach from aching.”

When not playing, Shaw lives in Thailand, where the laws on cannabis are more liberal laws. He says he previously suffered discomfort of abstaining from cannabis in earlier seasons in Indonesia but explains how medical needs spurred him to import the intercepted supply of over a hundred edibles this year. “It was a foolish error,” he says.

Legal and Personal Struggles

But that mistake does not justify the death penalty or a long spell in prison, he argues. “I’ve been informed I’m about to spend the rest of my life behind bars for cannabis candies,” he says. “I’ve never been through anything like this.” Initially, for weeks after his arrest, he was at “my most difficult period” and in a “really dark mental place.”

“I felt helpless and alone,” he shares. “I didn’t want to wake up again.” Yet, with spiritual practices, as well as access to a prison gym, he is starting to feel himself again despite the 6ft 11in athlete shares a cramped cell with a dozen men. “I just turned 35 but my energy remains high,” says the former Utah State basketballer, who has played in Argentina, Japan, Turkey, Thailand and Tunisia. “I hope to resume playing professionally.”

Medical Use vs. Legal Perception

Shaw, who plays as a center or power forward, explains cannabis helps ease his mental health struggles, as well as sleeplessness and the discomfort of his condition. “I don’t use it to have fun and go party,” he clarifies. “Due to my digestive issues, sometimes it’s hard for me to keep food down or use the restroom. It merely eases the pain a little bit.”

Indonesia takes a hard line on drugs and carried out executions in 2016, via shooting, of an Indonesian and three foreigners found guilty of drug-related crimes. Over five hundred individuals – including almost 100 foreigners – face execution in the nation, primarily due to narcotics violations.

Law enforcement have said that the athlete messaged to his teammates saying that he would share some of the cannabis candies among them. “Their definition of narcotics, I view as treatment,” he remarks. “It’s just different cultures.”

Fundraising and Future Hopes

After Shaw’s arrest, police officials told reporters that the American might receive life in prison or even the death penalty upon conviction. “Our ongoing investigation aims to the investigation to uncover the international drugs network involved preventing further spread,” a representative stated.

Shaw was swiftly paraded during a media event, appearing with his hands cuffed dressed in detention attire and face covering. He faced away from spectators as police chiefs displayed the cannabis gummies, totaling 869 grams and are worth $400.

He said that to charge him with possession of almost a kilo of cannabis is unfair and “disturbing,” since the bulk comes from the candy material rather than the active ingredient. “I’ve been charged for a large quantity,” he says. “I didn’t have anything near that.”

Shaw is fundraising to cover mounting court costs. He has not yet appeared in court despite being arrested five months ago, and he awaits his initial court date. “It’s being portrayed as if I’m a major trafficker,” he asserts. “What reason would I have to import these items for sale? They were for my own needs.”

Broader Context and Support

A representative from a group campaigning for the release of people imprisoned for cannabis-related offences said: “Jarred’s case is not unique. Globally, people are serving harsh penalties for low-level cannabis crimes that pose no threat to public safety.” In the United States as well, she noted, many people are still imprisoned for cannabis offences despite recreational legalization in almost half of states and medical approval in all but two. “Such penalties run counter to global human rights norms,” she emphasized.

The potential efficacy of cannabis on Crohn’s disease is understudied but recent papers have indicated that cannabis may relieve chronic lower back pain without serious side effects. This comes as, public figures have discussed potential advantages of cannabis treatments.

Similarities exist between Shaw’s case and the situation of another American athlete, the acclaimed player detained in Russia for nearly a year in 2022 when officials discovered cannabis vape cartridges in her bags. She was later freed through an exchange with a foreign national.

“Jarred has always been one of the most generous and selfless people you could meet,” his friend remarked on Shaw’s fundraising page. “Jarred made a mistake. But I don’t believe that mistake should cost him his life prospects.”

American officials in Jakarta stated they know about the situation but declined additional details.

A support worker handling Shaw’s case commented: “Cannabis can’t kill you, but possessing it can. We must get significant focus to this situation so that a positive resolution can influence future cases. I’m dedicated to making sure Jarred gets home to his family.”

• The Indonesian National Police did not respond regarding inquiries on this matter.