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When Jarred Shaw, an American basketball player in Indonesia, descended to the lobby of his residence in recent months to collect a delivery containing smuggled cannabis gummies, he believed the medicine for easing his Crohn’s disease had arrived.

Indeed it did – however, so did a team of ten plainclothes officers. A video on social media depicts Shaw, wearing a dark top and shorts, crying out in distress as the swarm of officers move to apprehend him.

Confronting Severe Consequences

The Texan native, aged 35, is confronting the possibility of execution or extended imprisonment. He was a key member of his Indonesian team, who won the national basketball league in 2023, and he accumulated more than 1,000 points over three seasons in the country. However, currently he remains in pre-trial detention and faces a lifetime ban from the league.

“Cannabis serves as my treatment,” he stated over the phone from a prison just outside Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta. “I suffer from an inflammatory condition called Crohn’s disease that’s incurable. There’s no medicine apart from cannabis that stops my stomach from aching.”

When not playing, the athlete resides in a neighboring country, where cannabis is subject to less restrictive. He mentions he had endured the pain of going without cannabis in earlier seasons in Indonesia but says that health reasons spurred him to import the intercepted supply of 132 gummies recently. “I made a stupid mistake,” he says.

Legal and Personal Struggles

However, this error does not justify execution or lengthy incarceration, he contends. “There’s people telling me I’m about to spend my entire future behind bars over some edibles,” he says. “This is unlike any previous experience.” Initially, for weeks after his arrest, he was at “the lowest point in [my] life” and in a “really dark mental place.”

“I felt helpless and alone,” he recalls. “I didn’t want to wake up again.” Yet, with prayer and his faith, along with time in a detention center gym, he is starting to feel himself again despite the tall sportsman occupies a small cell with a dozen men. “I just turned 35 but I still feel young,” notes the ex-college player, who has played in Argentina, Japan, Turkey, Thailand and Tunisia. “I would love to continue playing professionally.”

Treatment Needs Versus Drug Laws

The player, who plays as a center or power forward, explains cannabis helps ease his mental health struggles, in addition to insomnia and the discomfort of his condition. “It’s not for recreation or social events,” he emphasizes. “With my stomach condition, it can be challenging to retain meals or go to the toilet. It merely eases the pain a little bit.”

The nation enforces strict policies regarding narcotics and conducted executions in 2016, by firing squad, of several individuals convicted of drug-related crimes. More than 500 people – with nearly a hundred foreigners – are on death row in the nation, primarily due to drug-related crimes.

Law enforcement have said that the athlete messaged to his teammates saying that he planned to distribute portions of the edibles among them. “Their definition of narcotics, I consider medicine,” says Shaw. “It’s just different cultures.”

Seeking Support and Resolution

After Shaw’s arrest, authorities told reporters that the American could face life in prison or possibly execution upon conviction. “Our ongoing investigation aims to uncover and halt the international drugs network behind this case preventing further spread,” a representative stated.

The athlete was presented at a press conference, appearing with his hands cuffed dressed in detention attire and a black face mask. He stood with his back to the audience as officials exhibited the seized candies, which weigh 869 grams in total and valued at four hundred dollars.

He said that accusing him of 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 his rising legal fees. His trial has not begun although detained months prior, and he awaits for a first appearance date. “It’s being portrayed like I’m this big drug dealer,” he asserts. “Why would I bring these items for sale? It was for personal use.”

Broader Context and Support

An advocacy director from a group supporting individuals jailed over cannabis commented: “Jarred’s case is not an isolated incident. Globally, individuals face harsh penalties for low-level cannabis crimes which are not dangerous to society.” In the United States as well, she added, many people are still imprisoned for similar offenses despite recreational legalization in almost half of states and a medical greenlight in most regions. “These punishments run counter to global human rights norms,” she stated.

The potential efficacy of cannabis on Crohn’s disease is understudied but recent studies suggest that cannabis may relieve chronic lower back pain with minimal risks. This comes as, public figures have highlighted the benefits of cannabis treatments.

Similarities exist with this case and that of Brittney Griner, the acclaimed player detained in another country for 10 months in 2022 when officials discovered cannabis vape cartridges in her bags. She was later freed as part of a prisoner swap involving a Russian weapons trafficker.

“Jarred has always been an exceptionally kind and selfless people you could meet,” his friend said on Shaw’s fundraising page. “He erred. However, it’s unjust that this should ruin his entire future.”

The US embassy in the capital says they know about the situation but declined additional details.

An advocacy assistant handling Shaw’s case said: “Cannabis can’t kill you, but ownership might be. We must get as much attention to this situation in the hope that a positive resolution can influence future cases. I’m dedicated to ensuring he returns to his family.”

• Local authorities offered no reply regarding inquiries for this story.