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As Jarred Shaw, a US athlete playing in Indonesia, descended to his apartment lobby in recent months to pick up a delivery containing smuggled cannabis gummies, he believed the medicine for relieving his Crohn’s disease had been delivered.

It had – but so too had a team of ten plainclothes officers. Footage circulating online depicts the athlete, dressed in a dark top and shorts, shouting for help as the swarm of officers move to apprehend him.

Facing Harsh Penalties

The Texan native, aged 35, could face the possibility of execution or extended imprisonment. Previously, he served as a key member of Prawira Bandung, which clinched the national basketball league in 2023, and he scored over a thousand points across three years in the nation. However, currently he remains in pre-trial detention and faces a lifetime ban from the IBL.

“Cannabis serves as my treatment,” he explained during a call from his cell just outside Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta. “I suffer from a chronic inflammation called Crohn’s disease that’s untreatable. No other medication apart from cannabis that relieves my abdominal pain.”

During the off-season, Shaw lives in a neighboring country, where the laws on cannabis are more liberal laws. He mentions he had endured discomfort of going without cannabis in previous campaigns in Indonesia but says that medical needs led him to bring in the seized batch of 132 gummies this year. “It was a foolish error,” he admits.

Legal and Personal Struggles

However, this error does not justify execution or lengthy incarceration, he argues. “There’s people telling me I’m about to spend the rest of my life behind bars over some edibles,” he says. “I’ve never been through anything like this.” Initially, for weeks after his arrest, he reached “the lowest point in [my] life” and in a “really dark mental place.”

“I experienced isolation and despair,” he recalls. “I didn’t want to wake up again.” Yet, with spiritual practices, along with time in a prison gym, he is gradually recovering despite the tall sportsman shares a cramped cell with a dozen men. “I recently celebrated my 35th birthday but my energy remains high,” notes the ex-college player, with experience in multiple countries. “I hope to resume my basketball career.”

Treatment Needs Versus Drug Laws

The player, who plays as a center or power forward, explains cannabis alleviates his mental health struggles, as well as insomnia and the discomfort of his condition. “It’s not for recreation or social events,” he clarifies. “Due to my digestive issues, it can be challenging to retain meals or use the restroom. It merely eases the pain a little bit.”

Indonesia takes a hard line regarding narcotics and conducted executions in 2016, by firing squad, of an Indonesian and three foreigners found guilty of drug offenses. More than 500 people – including almost 100 foreigners – are on death row in the nation, mostly for narcotics violations.

Law enforcement have said that Shaw sent text messages to his teammates saying that he planned to distribute portions of the edibles among them. “Their definition of narcotics, I view as treatment,” he remarks. “It’s just different cultures.”

Fundraising and Future Hopes

Following his detention, police officials told reporters that Shaw could face a life sentence or even the death penalty if found guilty. “We are still running the investigation to uncover global drug networks involved preventing further spread,” an official said.

The athlete was presented at a press conference, shown in handcuffs dressed in detention attire and face covering. He stood with his back to the audience as officials displayed the seized candies, totaling 869 grams and are worth $400.

He said that to charge him with holding nearly a kilogram of cannabis is unjust and “disturbing,” since most of the weight comes from the candy material rather than the cannabis content. “I’m accused of almost a kilo,” he notes. “My actual possession was far less.”

Shaw is fundraising for mounting court costs. He has not yet appeared in court despite being arrested five months ago, and he awaits 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 these items for sale? They were for my own needs.”

Wider Implications and Advocacy

A representative from an organization supporting the release of people jailed over cannabis commented: “Jarred’s case is not unique. Globally, individuals face harsh penalties for low-level cannabis crimes that pose no threat to society.” Even in the US, she added, many people are still imprisoned for cannabis offences even with legalization in almost half of states and a medical greenlight 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 studies suggest that cannabis may relieve persistent pain with minimal risks. Amid this, leaders have highlighted the benefits of cannabis-based medicines.

There are parallels between Shaw’s case and that of Brittney Griner, the decorated American basketball player detained in another country for 10 months in 2022 after authorities found cannabis vape cartridges in her luggage. Griner was eventually released through an exchange with a foreign national.

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

American officials in the capital says they know about Shaw’s case but would not comment further.

An advocacy assistant involved in the case commented: “Cannabis itself is not lethal, but possessing it can. It’s crucial to draw as much attention to this situation in the hope that a positive resolution can influence future cases. I am committed to making sure Jarred gets home to his mother.”

• Local authorities offered no reply regarding inquiries on this matter.