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As the American basketball player, an American basketball player in Indonesia, went down to the lobby of his residence earlier this year to collect a package with 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. Footage circulating online depicts Shaw, dressed in a dark top and shorts, crying out in distress as the swarm of officers attempt to detain him.

Confronting Severe Consequences

The Texan native, aged 35, is confronting potential execution or a long spell behind bars. Previously, he served as an integral player of his Indonesian team, who won the national basketball league in 2023, and he scored over a thousand points across three years in the country. But now he is languishing in pre-trial detention and faces a lifetime ban from the IBL.

“I use cannabis as a medicine,” he stated during a call from a prison near Jakarta, the capital. “I have an inflammatory condition called Crohn’s that’s untreatable. There’s no medicine besides cannabis that relieves my abdominal pain.”

When not playing, the athlete lives in Thailand, where cannabis is subject to less restrictive. He mentions he previously suffered the pain of abstaining from cannabis in previous campaigns in Indonesia but explains how medical needs spurred him to bring in the seized batch of 132 gummies this year. “It was a foolish error,” he says.

Challenges in Law and Life

However, this error does not justify execution or lengthy incarceration, he contends. “There’s people telling me I could end up spending my entire future behind bars for cannabis candies,” he says. “This is unlike anything like this.” In the first two months after his arrest, he was at “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.” But through prayer and his faith, along with time in a detention center gym, he is gradually recovering even while the 6ft 11in athlete occupies a small cell with multiple inmates. “I just turned 35 but I still feel young,” notes the former Utah State basketballer, with experience in multiple countries. “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, in addition to sleeplessness and the pain from Crohn’s. “I don’t use it to have fun or social events,” he emphasizes. “With my stomach condition, sometimes it’s hard to retain meals or use the restroom. It just soothes some of the symptoms.”

Indonesia takes a hard line on drugs and carried out executions in 2016, by firing squad, of several individuals convicted of drug-related crimes. Over five hundred individuals – with nearly a hundred foreigners – are on death row in the country, primarily due to drug-related crimes.

Law enforcement stated that the athlete messaged to his teammates saying that he would share portions of the edibles with them. “Their definition of narcotics, I consider medicine,” says Shaw. “It’s just different cultures.”

Fundraising and Future Hopes

After Shaw’s arrest, authorities told reporters that Shaw could face a life sentence or even the death penalty if found guilty. “Our ongoing investigation aims to uncover and halt the international drugs network behind this case preventing further spread,” an official stated.

The athlete was presented during a media event, shown in handcuffs 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 seized candies, totaling 869 grams and are worth $400.

He argued that to charge him with possession of almost a kilo of cannabis is unjust and “sick,” since the bulk is made up by the candy material instead of the active ingredient. “I’ve been charged for almost a kilo,” he notes. “My actual possession was far less.”

Shaw is fundraising to cover mounting court costs. His trial has not begun despite being arrested five months ago, and he awaits his initial court date. “They’re making it seem as if I’m a major trafficker,” he says. “Why would I bring these items for sale? It was for personal use.”

Wider Implications and Advocacy

A representative from a group campaigning for individuals imprisoned for cannabis-related offences said: “This situation is not an isolated incident. Globally, people are serving harsh penalties for low-level cannabis crimes which are not dangerous to public safety.” In the United States as well, she noted, tens of thousands remain incarcerated for cannabis offences despite recreational legalization in numerous states and medical approval in most regions. “Such penalties run counter to global human rights norms,” she emphasized.

Possible benefits of cannabis on Crohn’s disease lacks extensive research but recent papers have indicated that cannabis can ease chronic lower back pain with minimal risks. This comes as, leaders have discussed the benefits of cannabis-based medicines.

Similarities exist with this case and the situation of another American athlete, the decorated American basketball player detained in another country for nearly a year in 2022 when officials discovered cannabis vape cartridges in her bags. She was later freed as part of a prisoner swap with a foreign national.

“He is known as one of the most generous and caring individual one might encounter,” his friend remarked in a supportive statement. “Jarred made a mistake. But I don’t believe that mistake should cost him his life prospects.”

American officials in the capital says it is aware of Shaw’s case but would not comment further.

A support worker involved in the case said: “Cannabis itself is not lethal, but ownership might be. We must get as much attention on this case so that a positive resolution will set a powerful precedent. I am committed to making sure he returns to his mother.”

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