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When the American basketball player, a US athlete playing in Indonesia, went down to his apartment lobby in recent months to pick up a package containing smuggled cannabis gummies, he thought his medication for relieving his Crohn’s disease had been delivered.

Indeed it did – but so too had 10 undercover police officers. Footage circulating online depicts the athlete, dressed in a dark top 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 execution or extended imprisonment. Previously, he served as an integral player of his Indonesian team, who won the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) in 2023, and he scored over a thousand points across three years in the country. But now he remains in pre-trial detention and faces a lifetime ban from the IBL.

“I use cannabis as a medicine,” he stated during a call from a prison near Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta. “I suffer from an inflammatory condition called Crohn’s that’s incurable. No other medication besides cannabis that relieves my abdominal pain.”

When not playing, the athlete resides in Thailand, where cannabis is subject to less restrictive. He mentions he previously suffered discomfort of going without cannabis in earlier seasons in Indonesia but says that medical needs spurred him to bring in the intercepted supply of over a hundred edibles this year. “I made a stupid mistake,” he admits.

Legal and Personal Struggles

But that mistake does not justify execution or lengthy incarceration, he argues. “There’s people telling me I could end up spending the rest of my life in prison for cannabis candies,” he says. “I’ve never been through any previous experience.” Initially, for weeks following his detention, he reached “my most difficult period” and in a “really dark mental place.”

“I felt helpless and alone,” he recalls. “Waking up felt unbearable.” But through spiritual practices, as well as access to a detention center gym, he is gradually recovering even while the 6ft 11in athlete shares a cramped cell with multiple inmates. “I just turned 35 but I still feel young,” notes the ex-college player, with experience in multiple countries. “I would love to continue my basketball career.”

Treatment Needs Versus Drug Laws

Shaw, a center or power forward, explains cannabis helps ease his mental health struggles, in addition to insomnia and the discomfort of his condition. “It’s not for recreation and go party,” he clarifies. “Due to my digestive issues, sometimes it’s hard for me to keep food down or go to the toilet. It merely eases the pain a little bit.”

The nation enforces strict policies on drugs and carried out executions in 2016, via shooting, of an Indonesian and three foreigners convicted of drug offenses. Over five hundred individuals – including almost 100 foreigners – face execution in the nation, primarily due to drug-related crimes.

Indonesian police stated that Shaw sent text messages to his teammates saying that he would share some of the cannabis candies with them. “What they consider drugs, I consider medicine,” says Shaw. “It’s just different cultures.”

Seeking Support and Resolution

After Shaw’s arrest, police officials informed the media that the American could face life in prison or possibly execution upon conviction. “We are still running the investigation and halt global drug networks behind this case and to stop its distribution,” an official stated.

Shaw was swiftly paraded during a media event, appearing with his hands cuffed wearing an orange prison-issue T-shirt and a black face mask. He stood with his back to the audience 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,” given that most of the weight comes from the gummies themselves instead of the cannabis content. “I’m accused of a large quantity,” he says. “I didn’t have anything near that.”

Shaw is fundraising to cover his rising legal fees. His trial has not begun although detained months prior, and he is still waiting his initial court date. “It’s being portrayed like I’m this big drug dealer,” he asserts. “What reason would I have to import the candy here for sale? It was for personal use.”

Broader Context and Support

A representative from a group supporting the release of people imprisoned for cannabis-related offences commented: “This situation is not an isolated incident. Around the world, people are serving extreme sentences for low-level cannabis crimes which are not dangerous to society.” Even in the US, she added, tens of thousands are still imprisoned for similar offenses despite recreational legalization in numerous states and medical approval in most regions. “These punishments run counter to international human rights standards,” she stated.

Possible benefits of cannabis on Crohn’s disease lacks extensive research but recent studies have indicated that cannabis can ease chronic lower back pain without serious side effects. Amid this, leaders have highlighted the benefits of cannabis-based medicines.

Similarities exist with this case and that of another American athlete, the acclaimed player who was imprisoned in Russia for 10 months in 2022 after authorities found cannabis vape cartridges in her bags. Griner was eventually released through an exchange with a foreign national.

“He is known as one of the most generous and selfless people one might encounter,” his friend remarked on Shaw’s fundraising page. “Jarred made a mistake. But I don’t believe that this should ruin his life prospects.”

American officials in the capital says they know about Shaw’s case but would not comment further.

An advocacy assistant handling Shaw’s case commented: “Cannabis can’t kill you, but ownership might be. We must get as much attention to this situation so that a positive resolution will set a powerful precedent. I’m dedicated to ensuring Jarred gets home to his mother.”

• Local authorities did not respond to a request for comment on this matter.