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When the American basketball player, an American basketball player in Indonesia, went down to his apartment lobby earlier this year to pick up a delivery with smuggled 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 the athlete, dressed in a black T-shirt and shorts, shouting for help as the swarm of officers move to apprehend him.

Confronting Severe Consequences

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, who won the national basketball league in 2023, and he accumulated more than 1,000 points across three years in the nation. However, currently he is languishing in pre-trial detention and is banned for life from the league.

“I use cannabis as a medicine,” he explained over the phone from his cell near Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta. “I suffer from a chronic inflammation called Crohn’s disease that’s untreatable. No other medication besides cannabis that stops my abdominal pain.”

During the off-season, the athlete lives in Thailand, where cannabis is subject to more liberal laws. 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 intercepted supply of 132 gummies recently. “It was a foolish error,” he says.

Legal and Personal Struggles

But that mistake does not justify the death penalty or lengthy incarceration, he argues. “There’s people telling me I could end up spending the rest of my life behind bars over some edibles,” he says. “I’ve never been through anything like this.” In the first two months following his detention, he reached “the lowest point in [my] life” and in a “deeply troubled state of mind.”

“I experienced isolation and despair,” he shares. “Waking up felt unbearable.” Yet, with spiritual practices, as well as access to a prison gym, he is starting to feel himself again despite the 6ft 11in athlete occupies a small cell with a dozen men. “I recently celebrated my 35th birthday but my energy remains high,” says the former Utah State basketballer, with experience in multiple countries. “I hope to resume playing professionally.”

Treatment Needs Versus Drug Laws

Shaw, a center or power forward, says cannabis alleviates his anxiety and depression, in addition to sleeplessness and the pain from Crohn’s. “It’s not for recreation and go party,” he emphasizes. “With my stomach condition, sometimes it’s hard to retain meals or go to the toilet. It just soothes some of the symptoms.”

The nation enforces strict policies on drugs and carried out executions in 2016, by firing squad, of several individuals found guilty of drug offenses. More than 500 people – with nearly a hundred foreigners – face execution in the country, mostly for drug-related crimes.

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

Fundraising and Future Hopes

Following his detention, police officials told reporters that the American could face life in prison or even the death penalty if found guilty. “Our ongoing investigation aims to uncover and halt global drug networks behind this case preventing further spread,” a representative said.

The athlete was presented at a press conference, appearing with his hands cuffed dressed in detention attire and a black face mask. He faced away from spectators as officials exhibited the cannabis gummies, totaling 869 grams and valued at four hundred dollars.

He said that to charge him with holding nearly a kilogram of cannabis is unfair and “sick,” given that most of the weight comes from the candy material rather than the active ingredient. “I’ve been charged for a large quantity,” he says. “I didn’t have anything near that.”

The player is seeking donations to cover mounting court costs. His trial has not begun despite being arrested five months ago, and he awaits for a first appearance date. “They’re making it seem like I’m this big drug dealer,” he says. “Why would I bring these items to sell? They were for my own needs.”

Wider Implications and Advocacy

A representative from a group supporting the release of people jailed over cannabis commented: “Jarred’s case is not an isolated incident. Around the world, individuals face extreme sentences for low-level cannabis crimes that pose no threat to society.” In the United States as well, she added, tens of thousands are still imprisoned for similar offenses even with legalization in numerous states and medical approval in all but two. “These punishments run counter to international human rights standards,” she emphasized.

The potential efficacy of cannabis for Crohn’s lacks extensive research but recent papers have indicated that cannabis can ease chronic lower back pain with minimal risks. Amid this, public figures have highlighted the benefits of cannabis-based medicines.

Similarities exist between Shaw’s case and the situation of another American athlete, 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.

“He is known as one of the most generous and selfless people one might encounter,” a close associate remarked in a supportive statement. “Jarred made a mistake. But I don’t believe that this should ruin his life prospects.”

The US embassy in Jakarta says they know about Shaw’s case but would not comment further.

An advocacy assistant handling Shaw’s case said: “Cannabis itself is not lethal, but ownership might be. It’s crucial to draw as much attention on this case in the hope that a favorable outcome can influence future cases. I’m dedicated to making sure Jarred gets home to his family.”

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