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As the American basketball player, a US athlete playing in Indonesia, went down to his apartment lobby in recent months to collect a delivery containing smuggled cannabis gummies, he believed the medicine for relieving his Crohn’s disease had arrived.

It had – but so too had a team of ten plainclothes officers. Footage circulating online depicts the athlete, wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, shouting for help as the swarm of officers attempt to detain him.

Confronting Severe Consequences

The 35-year-old from Dallas, Texas, could face the possibility of execution or extended imprisonment. Previously, he served as a key member of his Indonesian team, which clinched the national basketball league in 2023, and he accumulated more than 1,000 points across three years in the nation. However, currently he is languishing in detention before trial and faces a lifetime ban from the IBL.

“I use cannabis as a medicine,” he explained during a call from his cell just outside Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta. “I have an inflammatory condition called Crohn’s disease that’s untreatable. There’s no medicine apart from cannabis that relieves my stomach from aching.”

When not playing, Shaw resides in a neighboring country, where cannabis is subject to less restrictive. He mentions he had endured discomfort of abstaining from cannabis in previous campaigns in Indonesia but explains how medical needs spurred him to import the seized batch of over a hundred edibles this year. “I made a stupid mistake,” he admits.

Challenges in Law and Life

However, this error 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 states. “This is unlike any previous experience.” Initially, for weeks following his detention, he was at “the lowest point in [my] life” and in a “deeply troubled state of mind.”

“I felt helpless and alone,” he recalls. “I didn’t want to wake up again.” Yet, with prayer and his faith, along with time in a detention center gym, he is gradually recovering despite the tall sportsman occupies a small cell with a dozen men. “I recently celebrated my 35th birthday but I still feel young,” notes the ex-college player, who has played in multiple countries. “I would love to continue my basketball career.”

Treatment Needs Versus Drug Laws

Shaw, who plays as a center or power forward, explains cannabis helps ease his anxiety and depression, as well as insomnia and the pain from Crohn’s. “It’s not for recreation and go party,” he emphasizes. “Due to my digestive issues, it can be challenging to retain meals or use the restroom. It just soothes some of the symptoms.”

The nation enforces strict policies on drugs and conducted executions in 2016, via shooting, of several individuals found guilty of drug offenses. Over five hundred individuals – including almost 100 foreigners – face execution in the nation, primarily due to drug-related crimes.

Law enforcement stated that Shaw sent text messages his fellow players indicating he would share some of the cannabis candies among them. “What they consider drugs, I view as treatment,” he remarks. “It’s just different cultures.”

Seeking Support and Resolution

After Shaw’s arrest, authorities informed the media that Shaw might receive a life sentence or even the death penalty upon conviction. “Our ongoing investigation aims to uncover to uncover global drug networks behind this case and to stop its distribution,” a representative stated.

The athlete was presented during a media event, shown in handcuffs dressed in detention attire and a black face mask. He stood with his back to the audience as police chiefs displayed the cannabis gummies, totaling 869 grams and valued at four hundred dollars.

He argued that to charge him with holding nearly a kilogram of cannabis is unfair and “sick,” given that most of the weight comes from the candy material rather than the active ingredient. “I’m accused of almost a kilo,” he notes. “I didn’t have anything near that.”

Shaw is fundraising for his rising legal fees. He has not yet appeared in court although detained months prior, and he is still waiting for a first appearance date. “They’re making it seem as if I’m a major trafficker,” he asserts. “What reason would I have to import the candy here to sell? It was for personal use.”

Wider Implications and Advocacy

An advocacy director from a group supporting the release of people jailed over cannabis said: “This situation is not an isolated incident. Globally, individuals face extreme sentences for non-violent cannabis offenses which are not dangerous to society.” Even in the US, she noted, tens of thousands remain incarcerated for cannabis offences even with legalization in almost half of states and medical approval in most regions. “These punishments run counter to global human rights norms,” she stated.

Possible benefits of cannabis for Crohn’s lacks extensive research but recent papers suggest that cannabis can ease persistent pain with minimal risks. Amid this, public figures have highlighted potential advantages of cannabis-based medicines.

Similarities exist between Shaw’s case and the situation of another American athlete, the decorated American basketball player who was imprisoned in another country for 10 months in 2022 when officials discovered cannabis products in her luggage. Griner was eventually released 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 in a supportive statement. “Jarred made a mistake. However, it’s unjust that this should ruin his entire future.”

The US embassy in the capital says they know about Shaw’s case but would not comment further.

A support worker involved in the case commented: “Cannabis itself is not lethal, but possessing it can. We must get as much attention on this case in the hope that a favorable outcome can influence future cases. I’m dedicated to ensuring Jarred gets home to his family.”

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