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When Jarred Shaw, an American basketball player in Indonesia, descended to his apartment lobby earlier this year to pick up a delivery with smuggled cannabis gummies, he thought the medicine for easing his chronic inflammatory condition had been delivered.

It had – however, so did a team of ten plainclothes officers. A video on social media depicts Shaw, wearing a dark top and shorts, crying out in distress as the swarm of officers move to apprehend him.

Facing Harsh Penalties

The Texan native, aged 35, could face potential the death penalty or a long spell behind bars. Previously, he served as an integral player of his Indonesian team, who won the national basketball league in 2023, and he scored over a thousand points across three years in the nation. However, currently he remains in detention before trial and is banned for life from the league.

“I use cannabis as a medicine,” he stated over the phone from his cell near Jakarta, the capital. “I have a chronic inflammation called Crohn’s that’s incurable. No other medication apart from cannabis that stops my stomach from aching.”

When not playing, Shaw resides in Thailand, where the laws on cannabis are more liberal laws. He says he previously suffered discomfort of going without cannabis in previous campaigns in Indonesia but explains how health reasons led him to import the seized batch of over a hundred edibles this year. “I made a stupid mistake,” he says.

Legal and Personal Struggles

But that mistake should not warrant the death penalty or a long spell in prison, he contends. “I’ve been informed I could end up spending the rest of my life in prison over some edibles,” he states. “I’ve never been through anything like this.” In the first two months following his detention, he reached “the lowest point in [my] life” and in a “deeply troubled state of mind.”

“I felt helpless and alone,” he recalls. “Waking up felt unbearable.” But through spiritual practices, along with time in a prison gym, he is starting to feel himself again despite the 6ft 11in athlete shares a cramped cell with a dozen men. “I recently celebrated my 35th birthday but I still feel young,” notes the former Utah State basketballer, with experience in Argentina, Japan, Turkey, Thailand and Tunisia. “I would love to continue playing professionally.”

Treatment Needs Versus Drug Laws

The player, who plays as a center or power forward, says cannabis alleviates his anxiety and depression, in addition to sleeplessness and the discomfort of his condition. “It’s not for recreation and go party,” he emphasizes. “With my stomach condition, sometimes it’s hard to retain meals 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 country, primarily due to narcotics violations.

Law enforcement have said that Shaw sent text messages to his teammates indicating he planned to distribute some of the cannabis candies with them. “What they consider drugs, I consider medicine,” he remarks. “Cultural perspectives vary.”

Fundraising and Future Hopes

After Shaw’s arrest, authorities informed the media that Shaw might receive a life sentence or even the death penalty upon conviction. “We are still running uncover to uncover the international drugs network behind this case and to stop its distribution,” an official said.

The athlete was presented during a media event, appearing with his hands cuffed wearing an orange prison-issue T-shirt and face covering. He faced away from spectators as police chiefs exhibited the seized candies, which weigh 869 grams in total and are worth $400.

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

Shaw is fundraising for mounting court costs. He has not yet appeared in court despite being arrested five months ago, and he is still waiting for a first appearance date. “They’re making it seem as if I’m a major trafficker,” he says. “Why would I bring the candy here for sale? They were for my own needs.”

Broader Context and Support

An advocacy director from a group supporting individuals imprisoned for cannabis-related offences commented: “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, many people are still imprisoned for similar offenses despite recreational legalization in almost half of states and a medical greenlight in most regions. “These punishments run counter to international human rights standards,” she emphasized.

The potential efficacy of cannabis for Crohn’s lacks extensive research but recent studies suggest that cannabis can ease persistent pain without serious side effects. This comes as, public figures have discussed the benefits of cannabis-based medicines.

Similarities exist between Shaw’s case and that of another American athlete, the decorated American basketball player detained in Russia for 10 months in 2022 after authorities found cannabis vape cartridges in her bags. She was later freed as part of a prisoner swap with a foreign national.

“Jarred has always been an exceptionally kind 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 entire future.”

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

A support worker involved in the case commented: “Cannabis can’t kill you, but possessing it can. It’s crucial to draw as much attention to this situation so that a favorable outcome will set a powerful precedent. I’m dedicated to ensuring he returns to his mother.”

• Local authorities did not respond regarding inquiries for this story.