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When the American basketball player, an American basketball player in Indonesia, descended to the lobby of his residence earlier this year to pick up a delivery with smuggled cannabis gummies, he believed the medicine for relieving his Crohn’s disease had been delivered.

Indeed it did – however, so did 10 undercover police officers. Footage circulating online depicts Shaw, dressed in a dark top and shorts, shouting for help as the swarm of officers attempt to detain him.

Confronting Severe Consequences

The 35-year-old from Dallas, Texas, is confronting potential the death penalty or extended imprisonment. Previously, he served as an integral player of his Indonesian team, which clinched the national basketball league in 2023, and he accumulated more than 1,000 points over three seasons in the country. However, currently he remains in pre-trial detention and is banned for life from the league.

“Cannabis serves as my treatment,” he stated during a call from his cell near Jakarta, the capital. “I suffer from a chronic inflammation called Crohn’s that’s incurable. There’s no medicine apart from cannabis that relieves my abdominal pain.”

During the off-season, the athlete lives in a neighboring country, where cannabis is subject to more liberal laws. He says he had endured the pain of going without cannabis in previous campaigns in Indonesia but says that medical needs spurred him to bring in the seized batch of 132 gummies recently. “It was a foolish error,” he says.

Challenges in Law and Life

But that mistake should not warrant execution or a long spell in prison, he argues. “I’ve been informed I’m about to spend the rest of my life in prison for cannabis candies,” he says. “I’ve never been through anything like this.” Initially, for weeks after his arrest, he reached “my most difficult period” and in a “really dark mental place.”

“I felt helpless and alone,” he shares. “Waking up felt unbearable.” Yet, with spiritual practices, as well as access to 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,” notes the ex-college player, with experience in multiple countries. “I hope to resume playing professionally.”

Treatment Needs Versus Drug Laws

Shaw, who plays as a center or power forward, explains cannabis alleviates his anxiety and depression, as well as insomnia and the pain from Crohn’s. “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 just soothes some of the symptoms.”

Indonesia takes a hard line on drugs and carried out executions in 2016, by firing squad, of several individuals convicted of drug-related crimes. Over five hundred individuals – with nearly a hundred foreigners – are on death row in the country, primarily due to narcotics violations.

Indonesian police have said that the athlete messaged to his teammates saying that he planned to distribute some of the cannabis candies with them. “Their definition of narcotics, I consider medicine,” says Shaw. “It’s just different cultures.”

Seeking Support and Resolution

Following his detention, authorities told reporters that Shaw might receive a life sentence or even the death penalty if found guilty. “We are still running uncover and halt the international drugs network involved and to stop its distribution,” a representative said.

Shaw was swiftly paraded during a media event, appearing with his hands cuffed dressed in detention attire and a black face mask. He stood with his back to the audience as officials displayed 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 “disturbing,” since most of the weight comes from the gummies themselves instead of the cannabis content. “I’m accused of a large quantity,” he notes. “My actual possession was far less.”

Shaw is fundraising for mounting court costs. His trial has not begun although detained months prior, and he awaits for a first appearance date. “It’s being portrayed like I’m this big drug dealer,” he says. “What reason would I have to import the candy here for sale? They were for my own needs.”

Broader Context and Support

A representative from a group campaigning for individuals jailed over cannabis said: “Jarred’s case is not unique. Around the world, 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 despite recreational legalization in numerous states and medical approval in all but two. “These punishments contradict global human rights norms,” she emphasized.

The potential efficacy of cannabis on Crohn’s disease is understudied but recent papers suggest that cannabis can ease chronic lower back pain with minimal risks. This comes as, leaders have highlighted potential advantages of cannabis treatments.

There are parallels with this case and the situation of Brittney Griner, the decorated American basketball player who was imprisoned in Russia for 10 months in 2022 when officials discovered cannabis vape cartridges in her bags. She was later freed through an exchange with a foreign national.

“He is known as an exceptionally kind and selfless people one might encounter,” his friend remarked on Shaw’s fundraising page. “He erred. But I don’t believe that mistake should cost him his entire future.”

American officials in the capital says it is aware of the situation but would not comment further.

A support worker involved in the case said: “Cannabis itself is not lethal, but possessing it can. It’s crucial to draw significant focus to this situation in the hope that a favorable outcome will set a powerful precedent. I’m dedicated to ensuring he returns to his mother.”

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