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As Jarred Shaw, an American basketball player in Indonesia, descended to the lobby of his residence in recent months to pick up a delivery with smuggled cannabis gummies, he thought the medicine for relieving his chronic inflammatory condition had been delivered.

Indeed it did – however, so did a team of ten plainclothes officers. Footage circulating online depicts the athlete, wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, crying out in distress as multiple law enforcement agents attempt to detain him.

Facing Harsh Penalties

The 35-year-old from Dallas, Texas, could face potential the death penalty or extended imprisonment. He was a key member of his Indonesian team, which clinched the national basketball league in 2023, and he scored over a thousand points over three seasons in the country. However, currently he is languishing in pre-trial detention and faces a lifetime ban from the league.

“Cannabis serves as my treatment,” he stated during a call from his cell just outside Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta. “I suffer from a chronic inflammation called Crohn’s disease that’s incurable. No other medication apart from cannabis that stops my abdominal pain.”

When not playing, Shaw lives in a neighboring country, where cannabis is subject to more liberal laws. He mentions he had endured the pain of abstaining from cannabis in earlier seasons in Indonesia but explains how health reasons spurred him to import the seized batch of 132 gummies recently. “I made a stupid mistake,” he says.

Challenges in Law and Life

But that mistake should not warrant execution or lengthy incarceration, he contends. “I’ve been informed I could end up spending the rest of my life in prison over some edibles,” he says. “This is unlike anything like this.” Initially, for weeks after his arrest, he was at “the lowest point in [my] life” and in a “really dark mental place.”

“I felt helpless and alone,” he recalls. “Waking up felt unbearable.” Yet, with prayer and his faith, along with time in a detention center gym, he is gradually recovering despite the tall sportsman shares a cramped cell with a dozen men. “I recently celebrated my 35th birthday but I still feel young,” says the former Utah State basketballer, with experience in multiple countries. “I hope to resume my basketball career.”

Medical Use vs. Legal Perception

Shaw, a center or power forward, says cannabis helps ease his anxiety and depression, in addition to insomnia and the discomfort of his condition. “It’s not for recreation or social events,” he clarifies. “Due to my digestive issues, it can be challenging to retain meals or use the restroom. It just soothes the pain a little bit.”

The nation enforces strict policies regarding narcotics and conducted executions in 2016, via shooting, of several individuals found guilty of drug-related crimes. More than 500 people – with nearly a hundred foreigners – face execution in the nation, mostly for drug-related crimes.

Law enforcement have said that the athlete messaged his fellow players saying that he would share portions of the edibles among them. “Their definition of narcotics, I view as treatment,” he remarks. “Cultural perspectives vary.”

Fundraising and Future Hopes

After Shaw’s arrest, police officials told reporters that the American could face a life sentence or even the death penalty if found guilty. “Our ongoing investigation aims to uncover to uncover global drug networks involved preventing further spread,” a representative stated.

The athlete was presented at a press conference, shown in handcuffs wearing an orange prison-issue T-shirt and a black face mask. He faced away from spectators as police chiefs exhibited the cannabis gummies, which weigh 869 grams in total and are worth $400.

He said that accusing him of possession of almost a kilo of cannabis is unfair and “disturbing,” since most of the weight is made up by the gummies themselves rather than the active ingredient. “I’m accused of almost a kilo,” he says. “My actual possession was far less.”

Shaw is fundraising to cover his rising legal fees. He has not yet appeared in court despite being arrested five months ago, and he awaits his initial court date. “It’s being portrayed like I’m this big drug dealer,” he says. “What reason would I have to import these items for sale? It was for personal use.”

Wider Implications and Advocacy

An advocacy director from an organization campaigning for individuals jailed over cannabis commented: “Jarred’s case is not unique. Globally, individuals face extreme sentences for low-level cannabis crimes that pose no threat to public safety.” Even in the US, she added, tens of thousands are still imprisoned for similar offenses even with legalization in numerous states and medical approval in all but two. “These punishments contradict international human rights standards,” she stated.

Possible benefits of cannabis on Crohn’s disease is understudied but recent papers suggest that cannabis can ease persistent pain without serious side effects. Amid this, public figures have discussed potential advantages of cannabis-based medicines.

Similarities exist with this case and the situation of Brittney Griner, the decorated American basketball player who was imprisoned in Russia for nearly a year in 2022 when officials discovered cannabis vape cartridges in her luggage. She was later freed through an exchange involving a Russian weapons trafficker.

“Jarred has always been one of the most generous and selfless people one might encounter,” his friend remarked on Shaw’s fundraising page. “He erred. However, it’s unjust that this should ruin his entire future.”

The US embassy in Jakarta stated they know about the situation but would not comment further.

An advocacy assistant involved in the case commented: “Cannabis itself is not lethal, but ownership might be. It’s crucial to draw significant focus to this situation in the hope that a favorable outcome can influence future cases. I’m dedicated to making sure Jarred gets home to his mother.”

• The Indonesian National Police offered no reply regarding inquiries for this story.