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When Jarred Shaw, a US athlete playing in Indonesia, descended to his apartment lobby in recent months to collect a package with smuggled cannabis gummies, he believed his medication for easing his Crohn’s disease had been delivered.

It had – however, so did 10 undercover police officers. Footage circulating online depicts the athlete, wearing a dark top and shorts, shouting for help as multiple law enforcement agents move to apprehend him.

Facing Harsh Penalties

The 35-year-old from Dallas, Texas, is confronting potential the death penalty or a long spell behind bars. Previously, he served as a key member of Prawira Bandung, which clinched the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) in 2023, and he accumulated over a thousand points across three years in the country. But now he is languishing in detention before trial and faces a lifetime ban from the league.

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

When not playing, Shaw lives in a neighboring country, where cannabis is subject to more liberal laws. He says he previously suffered discomfort of going without cannabis in earlier seasons in Indonesia but says that health reasons led him to bring in the seized batch of over a hundred edibles recently. “I made a stupid mistake,” he says.

Challenges in Law and Life

However, this error does not justify the death penalty or a long spell in prison, he contends. “There’s people telling me I could end up spending my entire future in prison over some edibles,” he says. “This is unlike any previous experience.” Initially, for weeks following his detention, he was at “my most difficult period” and in a “really dark mental place.”

“I felt helpless and alone,” he shares. “I didn’t want to wake up again.” Yet, with prayer and his faith, as well as access to a prison gym, he is gradually recovering even while the 6ft 11in athlete shares a cramped cell with a dozen men. “I just turned 35 but my energy remains high,” notes the former Utah State basketballer, who has played in Argentina, Japan, Turkey, Thailand and Tunisia. “I hope to resume playing professionally.”

Medical Use vs. Legal Perception

The player, a center or power forward, explains cannabis alleviates his anxiety and depression, in addition to insomnia and the discomfort of his condition. “I don’t use it to have fun and go party,” he emphasizes. “Due to my digestive issues, it can be challenging to retain meals or go to the toilet. It just soothes some of the symptoms.”

Indonesia takes a hard line on drugs and carried out executions in 2016, via shooting, of several individuals convicted of drug-related crimes. Over five hundred individuals – with nearly a hundred foreigners – face execution in the nation, mostly for drug-related crimes.

Law enforcement have said that Shaw sent text messages to his teammates indicating he planned to distribute some of the cannabis candies with them. “Their definition of narcotics, I view as treatment,” says Shaw. “It’s just different cultures.”

Seeking Support and Resolution

Following his detention, police officials informed the media that the American might receive a life sentence or even the death penalty upon conviction. “We are still running the investigation to uncover the international drugs network involved preventing further spread,” an official said.

The athlete was presented at a press conference, appearing with his hands cuffed wearing an orange prison-issue T-shirt and a black face mask. He faced away from spectators as officials exhibited the seized candies, which weigh 869 grams in total and are worth $400.

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

Shaw is fundraising to cover his rising legal fees. He has not yet appeared in court although detained months prior, and he is still waiting his initial court date. “It’s being portrayed like I’m this big drug dealer,” he says. “Why would I bring the candy here for sale? They were for my own needs.”

Broader Context and Support

An advocacy director from an organization supporting individuals imprisoned for cannabis-related offences commented: “This situation is not unique. Globally, people are serving extreme sentences for low-level cannabis crimes that pose no threat to society.” In the United States as well, she noted, many people remain incarcerated for similar offenses even with legalization in numerous states and a medical greenlight in most regions. “Such penalties contradict international human rights standards,” she stated.

The potential efficacy of cannabis on Crohn’s disease is understudied but recent studies have indicated that cannabis can ease chronic lower back pain without serious side effects. This comes as, public figures have discussed the benefits of cannabis treatments.

Similarities exist between Shaw’s case and the situation of another American athlete, the decorated American basketball player detained in Russia for nearly a year in 2022 when officials discovered cannabis products in her luggage. Griner was eventually released as part of a prisoner swap involving a Russian weapons trafficker.

“Jarred has always been one of the most generous and selfless people you could meet,” a close associate remarked on Shaw’s fundraising page. “Jarred made a mistake. However, it’s unjust that mistake should cost him his life prospects.”

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

A support worker involved in the case commented: “Cannabis itself is not lethal, but possessing it can. We must get significant focus to this situation in the hope that a positive resolution can influence future cases. I’m dedicated to making sure he returns to his mother.”

• The Indonesian National Police did not respond to a request for comment on this matter.