As the American basketball player, an American basketball player in Indonesia, went down to his apartment lobby in recent months to collect a package containing smuggled cannabis gummies, he believed the medicine for easing his Crohn’s disease had arrived.
Indeed it did – however, so did a team of ten plainclothes officers. Footage circulating online depicts the athlete, wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, shouting for help as the swarm of officers move to apprehend him.
Facing Harsh Penalties
The 35-year-old from Dallas, Texas, could face the possibility of execution or extended imprisonment. He was a key member of his Indonesian team, which clinched the national basketball league in 2023, and he scored over a thousand points across three years in the nation. However, currently he remains in pre-trial detention and faces a lifetime ban from the league.
“Cannabis serves as my treatment,” he explained during a call from his cell just outside Jakarta, the capital. “I suffer from a chronic inflammation called Crohn’s that’s incurable. There’s no medicine apart from cannabis that relieves my abdominal pain.”
When not playing, Shaw resides in Thailand, where cannabis is subject to less restrictive. He says he previously suffered discomfort of going without cannabis in earlier seasons in Indonesia but says that health reasons spurred him to import the seized batch of 132 gummies recently. “It was a foolish error,” he says.
Legal and Personal Struggles
However, this error does not justify execution or lengthy incarceration, he argues. “There’s people telling me I’m about to spend the rest of my life in prison for cannabis candies,” he says. “I’ve never been through any previous experience.” Initially, for weeks after his arrest, he reached “my most difficult period” and in a “deeply troubled state of mind.”
“I experienced isolation and despair,” he recalls. “I didn’t want to wake up again.” But through prayer and his faith, along with time in a detention center gym, he is starting to feel himself again even while the tall sportsman occupies a small cell with a dozen men. “I just turned 35 but I still feel young,” notes the former Utah State basketballer, who has played in multiple countries. “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, in addition to sleeplessness and the discomfort of his condition. “It’s not for recreation or social events,” he clarifies. “Due to my digestive issues, it can be challenging for me to keep food down 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 an Indonesian and three foreigners convicted of drug-related crimes. Over five hundred individuals – including almost 100 foreigners – face execution in the country, mostly for drug-related crimes.
Law enforcement have said that the athlete messaged to his teammates indicating he planned to distribute some of the cannabis candies among them. “Their definition of narcotics, I consider medicine,” he remarks. “It’s just different cultures.”
Seeking Support and Resolution
Following his detention, police officials informed the media that the American might receive life in prison or possibly execution if found guilty. “Our ongoing investigation aims to the investigation to uncover global drug networks behind this case preventing further spread,” an official stated.
Shaw was swiftly paraded at a press conference, appearing with his hands cuffed dressed in detention attire and a black face mask. He stood with his back to the audience as police chiefs displayed the seized candies, totaling 869 grams and are worth $400.
He said that to charge him with possession of almost a kilo of cannabis is unfair and “sick,” since most of the weight comes from the candy material instead of the cannabis content. “I’ve been charged for almost a kilo,” he notes. “I didn’t have anything near that.”
Shaw is fundraising to cover mounting court costs. His trial has not begun despite being arrested five months ago, and he is still waiting his initial court date. “It’s being portrayed like I’m this big drug dealer,” he says. “Why would I bring the candy here for sale? They were for my own needs.”
Wider Implications and Advocacy
An advocacy director from a group supporting the release of people imprisoned for cannabis-related offences commented: “Jarred’s case is not unique. Around the world, individuals face harsh penalties for low-level cannabis crimes that pose no threat to public safety.” In the United States as well, she noted, tens of thousands are still imprisoned for cannabis offences even with legalization in numerous states and medical approval in most regions. “These punishments contradict global human rights norms,” she stated.
Possible benefits of cannabis for Crohn’s lacks extensive research but recent studies suggest that cannabis may relieve chronic lower back pain with minimal risks. This comes as, leaders have discussed the benefits of cannabis treatments.
Similarities exist with this case and the situation of Brittney Griner, the decorated American basketball player who was imprisoned in Russia for 10 months in 2022 after authorities found cannabis products in her luggage. She was later freed through an exchange involving a Russian weapons trafficker.
“He is known as an exceptionally kind and selfless people you could meet,” a close associate remarked in a supportive statement. “Jarred made a mistake. However, it’s unjust that mistake should cost him his life prospects.”
American officials in the capital 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 possessing it can. We must get as much attention 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 to a request for comment for this story.
