🔗 Share this article

As the American basketball player, a US athlete playing in Indonesia, descended to the lobby of his residence earlier this year to collect a delivery with illegally imported cannabis gummies, he believed the medicine for relieving his chronic inflammatory condition had been delivered.

It had – however, so did a team of ten plainclothes officers. A video on social media shows Shaw, wearing a dark top and shorts, shouting for help as the swarm of officers move to apprehend him.

Facing Harsh Penalties

The Texan native, aged 35, is confronting potential the death penalty or extended imprisonment. Previously, he served as an integral player of his Indonesian team, which clinched the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) in 2023, and he scored over a thousand points across three years in the nation. However, currently he remains in pre-trial detention and is banned for life from the league.

“I use cannabis as a medicine,” he explained over the phone from a prison near Jakarta, the capital. “I suffer from an inflammatory condition called Crohn’s disease that’s incurable. No other medication besides cannabis that relieves my stomach from aching.”

When not playing, the athlete resides in Thailand, where cannabis is subject to less restrictive. He says he had endured the pain of abstaining from cannabis in previous campaigns in Indonesia but explains how medical needs led him to bring in the seized batch of 132 gummies recently. “I made a stupid mistake,” he says.

Challenges in Law and Life

However, this error does not justify execution or a long spell in prison, he argues. “I’ve been informed 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 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 recalls. “Waking up felt unbearable.” But through spiritual practices, along with time in a detention center gym, he is starting to feel himself again despite the 6ft 11in athlete occupies a small cell with a dozen men. “I just turned 35 but my energy remains high,” notes the former Utah State basketballer, with experience in multiple countries. “I hope to resume my basketball career.”

Medical Use vs. Legal Perception

The player, who plays as a center or power forward, explains cannabis helps ease his mental health struggles, as well as insomnia and the discomfort of his condition. “It’s not for recreation and go party,” he emphasizes. “Due to my digestive issues, it can be challenging to retain meals or go to the toilet. It just soothes the pain a little bit.”

Indonesia takes a hard line on drugs and conducted executions in 2016, by firing squad, of an Indonesian and three foreigners found guilty of drug offenses. Over five hundred individuals – including almost 100 foreigners – face execution in the nation, primarily due to drug-related crimes.

Indonesian police have said that Shaw sent text messages to his teammates indicating he planned to distribute portions of the edibles among them. “Their definition of narcotics, I view as treatment,” says Shaw. “Cultural perspectives vary.”

Seeking Support and Resolution

Following his detention, police officials informed the media that the American could face a life sentence or even the death penalty upon conviction. “We are still running the investigation and halt the international drugs network behind this case preventing further spread,” a representative said.

Shaw was swiftly paraded at a press conference, shown in handcuffs wearing an orange prison-issue T-shirt and face covering. He faced away from spectators as officials exhibited the cannabis gummies, totaling 869 grams and valued at four hundred dollars.

He argued that accusing him of holding nearly a kilogram of cannabis is unfair and “disturbing,” since most of the weight comes from the candy material rather than the active ingredient. “I’m accused of almost a kilo,” he says. “My actual possession was far less.”

The player is seeking donations to cover his rising legal fees. His trial has not begun despite being arrested five months ago, and he awaits for a first appearance date. “It’s being portrayed like I’m this big drug dealer,” he says. “Why would I bring these items to sell? They were for my own needs.”

Broader Context and Support

A representative from an organization supporting individuals jailed over cannabis commented: “This situation is not an isolated incident. Around the world, individuals face extreme sentences for non-violent cannabis offenses which are not dangerous to society.” Even in the US, she noted, tens of thousands are still imprisoned for similar offenses despite recreational legalization in numerous states and a medical greenlight in most regions. “These punishments contradict global human rights norms,” she emphasized.

The potential efficacy of cannabis for Crohn’s is understudied but recent studies have indicated that cannabis can ease chronic lower back pain with minimal risks. Amid this, public figures have discussed potential advantages of cannabis treatments.

There are parallels with this case and the situation of Brittney Griner, the acclaimed player detained in another country for nearly a year in 2022 when officials discovered cannabis vape cartridges in her bags. She was later freed through an exchange with a foreign national.

“He is known as an exceptionally kind and selfless people one might encounter,” his friend remarked in a supportive statement. “Jarred made a mistake. However, it’s unjust that this should ruin his entire future.”

American officials in Jakarta stated they know about the situation but declined additional details.

An advocacy assistant handling Shaw’s case said: “Cannabis can’t kill you, but ownership might be. 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 mother.”

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