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As the American basketball player, an American basketball player in Indonesia, descended to the lobby of his residence earlier this year to collect a package containing smuggled cannabis gummies, he thought his medication for easing his Crohn’s disease had arrived.

It had – however, so did a team of ten plainclothes officers. Footage circulating online depicts Shaw, wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, shouting for help as multiple law enforcement agents attempt to detain him.

Facing Harsh Penalties

The Texan native, aged 35, is confronting the possibility of the death penalty or extended imprisonment. He was a key member of Prawira Bandung, who won the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) 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 IBL.

“Cannabis serves as my treatment,” he stated during a call from his cell just outside Jakarta, the capital. “I have an inflammatory condition called Crohn’s that’s incurable. There’s no medicine apart from cannabis that relieves my abdominal pain.”

During the off-season, Shaw lives in a neighboring country, where cannabis is subject to less restrictive. He mentions he previously suffered the pain of abstaining from cannabis in earlier seasons in Indonesia but says that medical needs led him to import the seized batch of over a hundred edibles recently. “I made a stupid mistake,” he admits.

Legal and Personal Struggles

However, this error should not warrant execution or lengthy incarceration, he argues. “There’s people telling me I could end up spending the rest of my life behind bars for cannabis candies,” he says. “This is unlike anything like this.” In the first two months following his detention, he reached “my most difficult period” and in a “deeply troubled state of mind.”

“I felt helpless and alone,” he shares. “I didn’t want to wake up again.” But through prayer and his faith, along with time in a detention center gym, he is starting to feel himself again even while the tall sportsman shares a cramped cell with multiple inmates. “I just turned 35 but my energy remains high,” notes the ex-college player, with experience in Argentina, Japan, Turkey, Thailand and Tunisia. “I hope to resume my basketball career.”

Treatment Needs Versus Drug Laws

The player, who plays as a center or power forward, says cannabis alleviates his mental health struggles, as well as sleeplessness and the discomfort of his condition. “It’s not for recreation and go party,” he emphasizes. “With my stomach condition, it can be challenging to retain meals or go to the toilet. It just soothes the pain a little bit.”

The nation enforces strict policies on drugs and conducted executions in 2016, by firing squad, of several individuals convicted of drug offenses. Over five hundred individuals – with nearly a hundred foreigners – are on death row in the country, mostly for narcotics violations.

Law enforcement stated that the athlete messaged to his teammates saying that he would share portions of the edibles among them. “Their definition of narcotics, I consider medicine,” he remarks. “Cultural perspectives vary.”

Fundraising and Future Hopes

After Shaw’s arrest, authorities informed the media that Shaw could face life in prison or possibly execution if found guilty. “We are still running uncover and halt global drug networks behind this case and to stop its distribution,” a representative stated.

Shaw was swiftly paraded at a press conference, 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 officials exhibited the cannabis gummies, totaling 869 grams and valued at four hundred dollars.

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 candy material rather than the cannabis content. “I’m accused of a large quantity,” he notes. “My actual possession was far less.”

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. “It’s being portrayed as if I’m a major trafficker,” he asserts. “What reason would I have to import the candy here to sell? They were for my own needs.”

Wider Implications and Advocacy

A representative from an organization campaigning for individuals imprisoned for cannabis-related offences commented: “This situation is not unique. Globally, individuals face harsh penalties for low-level cannabis crimes that pose no threat to public safety.” Even in the US, she added, tens of thousands remain incarcerated 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.

Possible benefits of cannabis on Crohn’s disease lacks extensive research but recent studies have indicated that cannabis may relieve persistent pain without serious side effects. Amid this, public figures have discussed potential advantages of cannabis treatments.

There are parallels between Shaw’s case and the situation of another American athlete, the decorated American basketball player who was imprisoned in Russia for nearly a year in 2022 when officials discovered cannabis vape cartridges in her luggage. She was later freed as part of a prisoner swap with a foreign national.

“He is known as an exceptionally kind and selfless people you could meet,” his friend remarked in a supportive statement. “Jarred made a mistake. However, it’s unjust that mistake should cost him his life prospects.”

American officials in the capital says it is aware of the situation but declined additional details.

A support worker handling Shaw’s case commented: “Cannabis itself is not lethal, but ownership might be. It’s crucial to draw as much attention on this case in the hope that a positive resolution can influence future cases. I’m dedicated to making sure Jarred gets home to his family.”

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