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When the American basketball player, a US athlete playing in Indonesia, descended to the lobby of his residence in recent months to collect a delivery with illegally imported cannabis gummies, he believed the medicine 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, wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, crying out in distress as the swarm of officers attempt to detain him.

Confronting Severe Consequences

The Texan native, aged 35, is confronting the possibility of execution or extended imprisonment. Previously, he served as a key member of Prawira Bandung, which clinched the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) in 2023, and he scored over a thousand points over three seasons in the nation. However, currently he is languishing in detention before trial and is banned for life from the league.

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

During the off-season, Shaw resides in a neighboring country, where cannabis is subject to less restrictive. He says he had endured discomfort of abstaining from cannabis in earlier seasons in Indonesia but says that medical needs spurred him to bring in the intercepted supply of 132 gummies recently. “It was a foolish error,” he says.

Challenges in Law and Life

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 the rest of my life behind bars over some edibles,” he says. “I’ve never been through any previous experience.” In the first two months following his detention, he reached “my most difficult period” and in a “really dark mental place.”

“I experienced isolation and despair,” he shares. “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 despite the tall sportsman shares a cramped cell with a dozen men. “I just turned 35 but I still feel young,” says the ex-college player, who has played in multiple countries. “I hope to resume my basketball career.”

Treatment Needs Versus Drug Laws

Shaw, a center or power forward, explains cannabis helps ease his anxiety and depression, in addition to sleeplessness and the discomfort of his condition. “It’s not for recreation or social events,” he clarifies. “With my stomach condition, sometimes it’s hard to retain meals or go to the toilet. It just soothes the pain a little bit.”

Indonesia takes a hard line on drugs and conducted executions in 2016, via shooting, of an Indonesian and three foreigners convicted of drug-related crimes. Over five hundred individuals – including almost 100 foreigners – face execution in the country, mostly for narcotics violations.

Law enforcement have said that Shaw sent text messages to his teammates indicating he would share portions of the edibles among them. “What they consider drugs, I view as treatment,” he remarks. “It’s just different cultures.”

Seeking Support and Resolution

Following his detention, authorities told reporters that the American might receive life in prison or possibly execution upon conviction. “We are still running uncover to uncover the international drugs network involved and to stop its distribution,” an official stated.

Shaw was swiftly paraded during a media event, shown in handcuffs wearing an orange prison-issue T-shirt and a black face mask. He faced away from spectators as police chiefs exhibited the seized candies, totaling 869 grams and are worth $400.

He said that to charge him with possession of almost a kilo of cannabis is unfair and “disturbing,” since most of the weight comes from the candy material instead of the cannabis content. “I’ve been charged for a large quantity,” he says. “My actual possession was far less.”

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. “It’s being portrayed as if I’m a major trafficker,” he says. “Why would I bring these items for sale? It was for personal use.”

Wider Implications and Advocacy

A representative from an organization campaigning for the release of people imprisoned for cannabis-related offences commented: “Jarred’s case is not an isolated incident. Around the world, individuals face extreme sentences for non-violent cannabis offenses that pose no threat to public safety.” In the United States as well, she noted, many people remain incarcerated for similar offenses despite recreational legalization in numerous states and a medical greenlight in most regions. “These punishments contradict international human rights standards,” she emphasized.

The potential efficacy of cannabis for Crohn’s lacks extensive research but recent papers suggest that cannabis may relieve chronic lower back pain without serious side effects. This comes as, public figures have highlighted the benefits of cannabis-based medicines.

Similarities exist between Shaw’s case and the situation of another American athlete, the decorated American basketball player detained in another country for nearly a year in 2022 after authorities found cannabis vape cartridges in her bags. She was later freed as part of a prisoner swap involving a Russian weapons trafficker.

“He is known as one of the most generous and selfless people one might encounter,” a close associate said on Shaw’s fundraising page. “He erred. But I don’t believe that this should ruin his entire future.”

The US embassy in Jakarta stated they know about the situation but declined additional details.

An advocacy assistant handling Shaw’s case commented: “Cannabis itself is not lethal, but ownership might be. We must get as much attention to this situation so that a positive resolution can influence future cases. I’m dedicated to making sure he returns to his family.”

• The Indonesian National Police offered no reply regarding inquiries on this matter.