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As Jarred Shaw, a US athlete playing in Indonesia, descended to the lobby of his residence earlier this year to pick up a delivery containing smuggled cannabis gummies, he thought his medication for relieving his Crohn’s disease had arrived.

It had – however, so did a team of ten plainclothes officers. A video on social media depicts the athlete, wearing a dark top and shorts, shouting for help as the swarm of officers move to apprehend him.

Confronting Severe Consequences

The Texan native, aged 35, could face the possibility of execution or extended imprisonment. He was an integral player of his Indonesian team, who won the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) in 2023, and he accumulated over a thousand points across three years in the nation. However, currently he is languishing in pre-trial detention and is banned for life from the IBL.

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

When not playing, Shaw lives in Thailand, where cannabis is subject to more liberal laws. He mentions he previously suffered the pain of going without cannabis in earlier seasons in Indonesia but explains how health reasons spurred him to import the seized batch of over a hundred edibles recently. “I made a stupid mistake,” 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 could end up spending the rest of my life in prison over some edibles,” he says. “This is unlike anything like this.” In the first two months after his arrest, he reached “the lowest point in [my] life” and in a “really dark mental place.”

“I experienced isolation and despair,” he shares. “I didn’t want to wake up again.” But through spiritual practices, as well as access to a detention center gym, he is gradually recovering despite the tall sportsman occupies a small cell with multiple inmates. “I just turned 35 but I still feel young,” notes the ex-college player, with experience in Argentina, Japan, Turkey, Thailand and Tunisia. “I hope to resume 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. “I don’t use it to have fun and go party,” he clarifies. “With my stomach condition, sometimes it’s hard to retain meals or go to the toilet. It merely eases 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 offenses. Over five hundred individuals – with nearly a hundred foreigners – face execution in the nation, primarily due to drug-related crimes.

Law enforcement stated that Shaw sent text messages to his teammates saying that he would share portions of the edibles with them. “Their definition of narcotics, I view as treatment,” he remarks. “It’s just different cultures.”

Fundraising and Future Hopes

After Shaw’s arrest, authorities informed the media that Shaw could face a life sentence or even the death penalty if found guilty. “Our ongoing investigation aims to the investigation to uncover the international drugs network involved and to stop its distribution,” a representative said.

Shaw was swiftly paraded during a media event, shown in handcuffs wearing an orange prison-issue T-shirt and a black face mask. He stood with his back to the audience as officials displayed the seized candies, which weigh 869 grams in total and valued at four hundred dollars.

He argued that accusing him of possession of almost a kilo of cannabis is unjust and “sick,” since most of the weight is made up by the gummies themselves instead of the cannabis content. “I’m accused of a large quantity,” he says. “My actual possession was far less.”

Shaw is fundraising to cover his rising legal fees. His trial has not begun although detained months prior, and he awaits for a first appearance date. “They’re making it seem as if I’m a major trafficker,” he says. “What reason would I have to import these items to sell? They were for my own needs.”

Broader Context and Support

A representative from an organization campaigning for individuals imprisoned for cannabis-related offences said: “This situation is not unique. Globally, people are serving harsh penalties for low-level cannabis crimes which are not dangerous to society.” In the United States as well, she added, many people remain incarcerated for similar offenses 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 emphasized.

Possible benefits of cannabis on Crohn’s disease is understudied but recent studies have indicated that cannabis may relieve persistent pain with minimal risks. Amid this, public figures have highlighted potential advantages of cannabis treatments.

Similarities exist with this case and that of Brittney Griner, the acclaimed player who was imprisoned in another country for nearly a year 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 one of the most generous and selfless people you could meet,” a close associate remarked in a supportive statement. “He erred. However, it’s unjust that mistake should cost him his life prospects.”

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

A support worker involved in the case said: “Cannabis can’t kill you, but ownership might be. It’s crucial to draw significant focus to this situation so that a positive resolution can influence future cases. I am committed to making sure Jarred gets home to his family.”

• Local authorities did not respond regarding inquiries on this matter.