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When the American basketball player, an American basketball player in Indonesia, descended to his apartment lobby earlier this year to collect a package containing illegally imported cannabis gummies, he thought his medication for relieving his chronic inflammatory condition had been delivered.

Indeed it did – but so too had 10 undercover police officers. A video on social media depicts the athlete, wearing a dark top and shorts, shouting for help as multiple law enforcement agents attempt to detain him.

Facing Harsh Penalties

The 35-year-old from Dallas, Texas, is confronting the possibility of the death penalty or extended imprisonment. Previously, he served as a key member of Prawira Bandung, which clinched the national basketball league in 2023, and he accumulated more than 1,000 points across three years in the nation. But now he remains in detention before trial and faces a lifetime ban from the league.

“I use cannabis as a medicine,” he stated during a call from his cell just outside Jakarta, the capital. “I suffer from an inflammatory condition called Crohn’s disease that’s incurable. There’s no medicine apart from cannabis that relieves my stomach from aching.”

During the off-season, Shaw resides in Thailand, where cannabis is subject to less restrictive. He says he had endured discomfort of abstaining from cannabis in earlier seasons in Indonesia but explains how health reasons led him to import the seized batch of over a hundred edibles recently. “It was a foolish error,” he admits.

Legal and Personal Struggles

But that mistake should not warrant execution or lengthy incarceration, he argues. “There’s people telling me I’m about to spend my entire future behind bars over some edibles,” he states. “I’ve never been through any previous experience.” Initially, for weeks following his detention, he was at “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 starting to feel himself again even while the 6ft 11in athlete shares a cramped cell with a dozen men. “I just turned 35 but I still feel young,” notes the ex-college player, who has played in multiple countries. “I hope to resume my basketball career.”

Treatment Needs Versus Drug Laws

Shaw, a center or power forward, says cannabis alleviates his anxiety and depression, in addition to sleeplessness 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 for me to keep food down or use the restroom. It just soothes some of the symptoms.”

Indonesia takes a hard line regarding narcotics and conducted executions in 2016, by firing squad, of an Indonesian and three foreigners 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 stated that the athlete messaged his fellow players saying that he planned to distribute portions of the edibles with them. “Their definition of narcotics, I consider medicine,” says Shaw. “Cultural perspectives vary.”

Fundraising and Future Hopes

Following his detention, authorities informed the media that the American might receive life in prison or possibly execution upon conviction. “Our ongoing investigation aims to the investigation to uncover the international drugs network behind this case preventing further spread,” an official 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 faced away from spectators as police chiefs displayed the seized candies, totaling 869 grams and are worth $400.

He argued that accusing him of possession of almost a kilo of cannabis is unfair and “disturbing,” since the bulk comes from the candy material instead of the cannabis content. “I’m accused of a large quantity,” he notes. “My actual possession was far less.”

The player is seeking donations to cover mounting court costs. His trial has not begun despite being arrested five months ago, and he awaits his initial court date. “It’s being portrayed as if I’m a major trafficker,” he asserts. “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 the release of people jailed over cannabis commented: “This situation is not an isolated incident. Globally, people are serving harsh penalties for low-level cannabis crimes that pose no threat to public safety.” Even in the US, she noted, many people are still imprisoned for similar offenses despite recreational legalization in almost half of states and medical approval in all but two. “These punishments run counter to international human rights standards,” she stated.

Possible benefits of cannabis for Crohn’s lacks extensive research but recent studies have indicated that cannabis may relieve chronic lower back pain without serious side effects. Amid this, public figures have highlighted potential advantages of cannabis-based medicines.

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 after authorities found cannabis vape cartridges in her luggage. She was later freed through an exchange 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. But I don’t believe that mistake should cost him his entire future.”

The US embassy in the capital stated they know about Shaw’s case but would not comment further.

An advocacy assistant involved in the case commented: “Cannabis can’t kill you, but possessing it can. We must get significant focus on this case in the hope that a favorable outcome can influence future cases. I am committed to ensuring he returns to his mother.”

• Local authorities did not respond to a request for comment on this matter.