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As the American basketball player, a US athlete playing in Indonesia, went down to the lobby of his residence in recent months to collect a package containing illegally imported cannabis gummies, he thought the medicine for easing his chronic inflammatory condition had arrived.

It had – but so too had a team of ten plainclothes officers. A video on social media depicts Shaw, wearing a black T-shirt 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 potential execution or a long spell behind bars. He was a key member of Prawira Bandung, who won the national basketball league in 2023, and he scored over a thousand points over three seasons in the country. However, currently he remains in pre-trial detention and faces a lifetime ban from the IBL.

“Cannabis serves as my treatment,” he explained during a call from a prison near Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta. “I have a chronic inflammation 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 Thailand, where the laws on cannabis are more liberal laws. He mentions he had endured the pain of going without cannabis in previous campaigns in Indonesia but explains how health reasons spurred him to bring in the intercepted supply of over a hundred edibles this year. “It was a foolish error,” he says.

Challenges in Law and Life

However, this error does not justify execution or a long spell in prison, he contends. “There’s people telling me I could end up spending my entire future in prison for cannabis candies,” he states. “This is unlike anything like this.” In the first two months after his arrest, he was at “the lowest point in [my] life” and in a “deeply troubled state of mind.”

“I experienced isolation and despair,” he shares. “I didn’t want to wake up again.” But through prayer and his faith, as well as access to 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 recently celebrated my 35th birthday 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 my basketball career.”

Medical Use vs. Legal Perception

Shaw, a center or power forward, explains cannabis helps ease his mental health struggles, as well as insomnia 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 for me to keep food down or go to the toilet. It merely eases some of the symptoms.”

The nation enforces strict policies regarding narcotics and carried out executions in 2016, via shooting, of several individuals found guilty of drug offenses. More than 500 people – including almost 100 foreigners – face execution in the country, primarily due to drug-related crimes.

Indonesian police have said that the athlete messaged to his teammates saying that he planned to distribute some of the cannabis candies with them. “What they consider drugs, I consider medicine,” 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 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 during a media event, appearing with his hands cuffed wearing an orange prison-issue T-shirt and a black face mask. He stood with his back to the audience as police chiefs exhibited the cannabis gummies, totaling 869 grams and are worth $400.

He said that accusing him of holding nearly a kilogram of cannabis is unfair and “sick,” since the bulk is made up by the candy material instead of the cannabis content. “I’m accused of a large quantity,” he says. “My actual possession was far less.”

The player is seeking donations to cover his rising legal fees. He has not yet appeared in court despite being arrested five months ago, and he is still waiting his initial court date. “It’s being portrayed as if I’m a major trafficker,” he says. “Why would I bring these items for sale? They were for my own needs.”

Broader Context and Support

A representative from an organization supporting the release of people imprisoned for cannabis-related offences said: “Jarred’s case is not unique. Globally, individuals face extreme sentences for low-level cannabis crimes that pose no threat to society.” Even in the US, she noted, many people remain incarcerated for cannabis offences despite recreational legalization in almost half of states and a medical greenlight in all but two. “These punishments contradict global human rights norms,” she emphasized.

The potential efficacy of cannabis on Crohn’s disease is understudied but recent studies suggest that cannabis can ease chronic lower back pain with minimal risks. This comes as, public figures have highlighted potential advantages of cannabis-based medicines.

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

“He is known as one of the most generous and selfless people you could meet,” his friend said in a supportive statement. “Jarred made a mistake. However, it’s unjust that this should ruin his life prospects.”

The US embassy in the capital says they know about the situation but would not comment further.

An advocacy assistant involved in the case commented: “Cannabis can’t kill you, but possessing it can. It’s crucial to draw significant focus on this case in the hope that a positive resolution will set a powerful precedent. I’m dedicated to ensuring he returns to his mother.”

• Local authorities did not respond regarding inquiries for this story.