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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 containing illegally imported cannabis gummies, he believed his medication for easing his chronic inflammatory condition had been delivered.

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

Confronting Severe Consequences

The 35-year-old from Dallas, Texas, could face potential the death penalty or extended imprisonment. Previously, he served as a key member of his Indonesian team, which clinched the national basketball league in 2023, and he scored over a thousand points over three seasons in the nation. However, currently he remains in pre-trial detention and is banned for life from the IBL.

“Cannabis serves as my treatment,” he explained during a call from his cell near Jakarta, the capital. “I have an inflammatory condition called Crohn’s disease that’s untreatable. No other medication besides cannabis that stops my abdominal pain.”

When not playing, Shaw resides in a neighboring country, where cannabis is subject to more liberal laws. He says he previously suffered discomfort of abstaining from cannabis in previous campaigns in Indonesia but explains how medical needs spurred him to bring in the seized batch of 132 gummies recently. “It was a foolish error,” he admits.

Legal and Personal Struggles

However, this error does not justify execution or lengthy incarceration, he contends. “There’s people telling me I could end up spending my entire future in prison for cannabis candies,” 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 experienced isolation and despair,” he recalls. “Waking up felt unbearable.” Yet, with prayer and his faith, as well as access to 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 former Utah State basketballer, with experience in Argentina, Japan, Turkey, Thailand and Tunisia. “I would love to continue my basketball career.”

Treatment Needs Versus Drug Laws

Shaw, who plays as a center or power forward, says cannabis alleviates his anxiety and depression, as well as insomnia and the discomfort of his condition. “I don’t use it to have fun or social events,” he clarifies. “Due to my digestive issues, it can be challenging for me to keep food down or use the restroom. It merely eases the pain a little bit.”

The nation enforces strict policies on drugs and carried out executions in 2016, via shooting, of an Indonesian and three foreigners found guilty of drug-related crimes. Over five hundred individuals – including almost 100 foreigners – are on death row in the nation, mostly for drug-related crimes.

Indonesian police stated that the athlete messaged to his teammates indicating he planned to distribute some of the cannabis candies with them. “Their definition of narcotics, I consider medicine,” he remarks. “It’s just different cultures.”

Seeking Support and Resolution

After Shaw’s arrest, police officials told reporters that Shaw could face a life sentence or even the death penalty upon conviction. “Our ongoing investigation aims to uncover to uncover global drug networks involved and to stop its distribution,” a representative stated.

The athlete was presented at a press conference, shown in handcuffs dressed in detention attire and a black face mask. He faced away from spectators as officials exhibited the cannabis gummies, which weigh 869 grams in total and valued at four hundred dollars.

He said that accusing him of holding nearly a kilogram of cannabis is unfair and “sick,” given that 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 mounting court costs. He has not yet appeared in court despite being arrested five months ago, and he is still waiting his initial court date. “They’re making it seem as if I’m a major trafficker,” he says. “What reason would I have to import these items for sale? They were for my own needs.”

Wider Implications and Advocacy

An advocacy director from an organization campaigning for individuals imprisoned for cannabis-related offences commented: “Jarred’s case is not unique. Globally, individuals face harsh penalties for non-violent cannabis offenses which are not dangerous to public safety.” Even in the US, she noted, many people remain incarcerated for similar offenses despite recreational legalization in numerous states and a medical greenlight in most regions. “These punishments contradict global human rights norms,” she stated.

Possible benefits of cannabis on Crohn’s disease lacks extensive research but recent papers have indicated that cannabis can ease persistent pain without serious side effects. Amid this, leaders have highlighted the benefits of cannabis treatments.

Similarities exist between Shaw’s case and that of another American athlete, the acclaimed player who was imprisoned in another country for nearly a year in 2022 after authorities found cannabis vape cartridges in her bags. Griner was eventually released through an exchange involving a Russian weapons trafficker.

“He is known as one of the most generous and caring individual one might encounter,” a close associate said in a supportive statement. “He erred. However, it’s unjust that mistake should cost him his life prospects.”

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

An advocacy assistant handling Shaw’s case commented: “Cannabis can’t kill you, but possessing it can. 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 he returns to his mother.”

• Local authorities offered no reply to a request for comment on this matter.