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As Jarred Shaw, a US athlete playing in Indonesia, descended to the lobby of his residence in recent months to collect a package with smuggled cannabis gummies, he thought the medicine for easing his Crohn’s disease had been delivered.

It had – but so too had 10 undercover police officers. Footage circulating online depicts the athlete, wearing a dark top 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 a long spell behind bars. He was a key member of his Indonesian team, which clinched the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) in 2023, and he accumulated over a thousand points across three years in the nation. But now he remains in detention before trial and is banned for life from the league.

“Cannabis serves as my treatment,” he stated during a call from his cell just outside Jakarta, the capital. “I have a chronic inflammation called Crohn’s disease that’s untreatable. No other medication besides cannabis that relieves my abdominal pain.”

During the off-season, the athlete resides in Thailand, where cannabis is subject to less restrictive. He mentions he previously suffered the pain of going without cannabis in earlier seasons in Indonesia but explains how health reasons spurred him to bring in the intercepted supply of over a hundred edibles this year. “I made a stupid mistake,” he admits.

Challenges in Law and Life

However, this error does not justify execution or a long spell in prison, he argues. “There’s people telling me I could end up spending my entire future in prison for cannabis candies,” he says. “I’ve never been through any previous experience.” In the first two months after his arrest, he reached “my most difficult period” and in a “really dark mental place.”

“I felt helpless and alone,” he shares. “I didn’t want to wake up again.” Yet, with spiritual practices, as well as access to a prison gym, he is gradually recovering even while the tall sportsman shares a cramped cell with multiple inmates. “I recently celebrated my 35th birthday but I still feel young,” says the former Utah State basketballer, with experience in Argentina, Japan, Turkey, Thailand and Tunisia. “I would love to continue my basketball career.”

Medical Use vs. Legal Perception

Shaw, who plays as a center or power forward, says cannabis alleviates his anxiety and depression, as well as sleeplessness and the pain from Crohn’s. “It’s not for recreation and go party,” he emphasizes. “Due to my digestive issues, it can be challenging for me to keep food down 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, via shooting, of an Indonesian and three foreigners found guilty of drug offenses. Over five hundred individuals – including almost 100 foreigners – face execution in the nation, mostly for drug-related crimes.

Law enforcement have said that the athlete messaged his fellow players saying that he planned to distribute some of the cannabis candies with them. “Their definition of narcotics, I consider medicine,” he remarks. “Cultural perspectives vary.”

Fundraising and Future Hopes

Following his detention, authorities informed the media that the American might receive a life sentence or even the death penalty upon conviction. “We are still running uncover to uncover global drug networks involved and to stop its distribution,” an official said.

Shaw was swiftly paraded at a press conference, shown in handcuffs dressed in detention attire and face covering. He faced away from spectators as police chiefs exhibited the seized candies, which weigh 869 grams in total and valued at four hundred dollars.

He argued that to charge him with holding nearly a kilogram of cannabis is unjust and “sick,” given that most of the weight comes from the gummies themselves instead of the active ingredient. “I’ve been charged for almost a kilo,” he notes. “My actual possession was far less.”

Shaw is fundraising for 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 like I’m this big drug dealer,” 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 a group supporting the release of people imprisoned for cannabis-related offences said: “Jarred’s case is not unique. Globally, individuals face harsh penalties for low-level cannabis crimes that pose no threat to public safety.” Even in the US, she noted, many people remain incarcerated for similar offenses despite recreational legalization in almost half of states and a medical greenlight in most regions. “These punishments contradict international human rights standards,” she emphasized.

Possible benefits of cannabis on Crohn’s disease lacks extensive research but recent studies have indicated that cannabis can ease persistent pain with minimal risks. Amid this, leaders have highlighted the benefits of cannabis treatments.

Similarities exist between Shaw’s case and the situation of another American athlete, the acclaimed player who was imprisoned in Russia for 10 months in 2022 when officials discovered cannabis products in her bags. She was later freed as part of a prisoner swap with a foreign national.

“He is known as an exceptionally kind and selfless people you could meet,” his friend said in a supportive statement. “He erred. But I don’t believe that this should ruin his life prospects.”

American officials in Jakarta says they know about Shaw’s case but declined additional details.

An advocacy assistant handling Shaw’s case commented: “Cannabis can’t kill you, but possessing it can. We must get significant focus to this situation in the hope that a favorable outcome can influence future cases. I am committed to ensuring Jarred gets home to his family.”

• The Indonesian National Police offered no reply regarding inquiries for this story.