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When Jarred Shaw, an American basketball player in Indonesia, went down to his apartment lobby earlier this year to collect a package with smuggled cannabis gummies, he believed his medication for relieving his Crohn’s disease had been delivered.

It had – but so too had 10 undercover police officers. A video on social media shows Shaw, dressed in a black T-shirt and shorts, shouting for help as multiple law enforcement agents move to apprehend him.

Facing Harsh Penalties

The Texan native, aged 35, is confronting the possibility of the death penalty or extended imprisonment. He was an integral player of his Indonesian team, which clinched the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) in 2023, and he accumulated over a thousand points over three seasons in the country. But now he remains in detention before trial and faces a lifetime ban from the IBL.

“Cannabis serves as my treatment,” he stated during a call from a prison just outside Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta. “I have an inflammatory condition called Crohn’s disease that’s incurable. No other medication besides cannabis that stops my stomach from aching.”

When not playing, Shaw lives in Thailand, where the laws on cannabis are less restrictive. He mentions he had endured the pain of going without cannabis in previous campaigns in Indonesia but explains how medical needs led him to import the intercepted supply of over a hundred edibles this year. “It was a foolish error,” he admits.

Legal and Personal Struggles

But that mistake should not warrant the death penalty or a long spell in prison, he argues. “I’ve been informed I’m about to spend my entire future in prison over some edibles,” he states. “I’ve never been through anything like this.” Initially, for weeks following his detention, he reached “the lowest point in [my] life” and in a “really dark mental place.”

“I experienced isolation and despair,” he recalls. “I didn’t want to wake up again.” But through prayer and his faith, as well as access to a prison gym, he is starting to feel himself again even while the tall sportsman occupies a small cell with a dozen men. “I just turned 35 but I still feel young,” notes the ex-college player, who has played in Argentina, Japan, Turkey, Thailand and Tunisia. “I hope to resume my basketball career.”

Treatment Needs Versus Drug Laws

Shaw, who plays as a center or power forward, explains cannabis alleviates his mental health struggles, as well as insomnia and the discomfort of his condition. “I don’t use it to have fun or social events,” he emphasizes. “Due to my digestive issues, it can be challenging to retain meals or go to the toilet. It just soothes some of the symptoms.”

Indonesia takes a hard line regarding narcotics and carried out 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.

Indonesian police stated that Shaw sent text messages to his teammates saying that he would share portions of the edibles among them. “What they consider drugs, I consider medicine,” says Shaw. “Cultural perspectives vary.”

Seeking Support and Resolution

After Shaw’s arrest, police officials told reporters that the American might receive a life sentence or even the death penalty upon conviction. “We are still running uncover to uncover global drug networks behind this case preventing further spread,” a representative said.

The athlete was presented at a press conference, appearing with his hands cuffed wearing an orange prison-issue T-shirt and a black face mask. He faced away from spectators as officials exhibited the cannabis gummies, which weigh 869 grams in total and valued at four hundred dollars.

He said that to charge him with holding nearly a kilogram of cannabis is unfair and “sick,” since the bulk is made up by the gummies themselves rather than the cannabis content. “I’m accused of almost a kilo,” he says. “I didn’t have anything near that.”

The player is seeking donations to cover mounting court costs. His trial has not begun although detained months prior, and he awaits his initial court date. “They’re making it seem as if I’m a major trafficker,” he asserts. “What reason would I have to import these items to sell? They were for my own needs.”

Wider Implications and Advocacy

An advocacy director from a group supporting the release of people jailed over cannabis commented: “This situation is not unique. Around the world, people are serving extreme sentences for non-violent cannabis offenses that pose no threat to society.” In the United States as well, she added, tens of thousands are still imprisoned for similar offenses even with legalization in almost half of states and a medical greenlight in all but two. “Such penalties contradict international human rights standards,” she emphasized.

The potential efficacy of cannabis for Crohn’s is understudied but recent studies have indicated that cannabis can ease chronic lower back pain without serious side effects. This comes as, leaders have discussed the benefits of cannabis-based medicines.

There are parallels between Shaw’s case and that of Brittney Griner, the acclaimed player detained in Russia for nearly a year in 2022 when officials discovered cannabis vape cartridges in her luggage. Griner was eventually released as part of a prisoner swap involving a Russian weapons trafficker.

“He is known as one of the most generous and caring individual one might encounter,” his friend remarked in a supportive statement. “He erred. However, it’s unjust that this should ruin his entire future.”

American officials in the capital stated they know about Shaw’s case but declined additional details.

An advocacy assistant involved in the case said: “Cannabis can’t kill you, but possessing it can. It’s crucial to draw significant focus on this case so that a favorable outcome can influence future cases. I am committed to making sure Jarred gets home to his family.”

• Local authorities did not respond regarding inquiries on this matter.