An American basketball player could face the death penalty or a lengthy prison sentence in Indonesia after being arrested for possessing marijuana gummies that he says were used to treat his Crohn’s disease.
Jarred Shaw, a 35-year-old Texan who helped lead Prawira Bandung to victory in the 2023 Indonesian Basketball League (IBL), was arrested in May after receiving a package containing more than 100 cannabis-infused gummies. Indonesia enforces some of the harshest drug laws in the world, where even small amounts of marijuana can carry the possibility of capital punishment.
Speaking to The Guardian from pre-trial detention in Jakarta, Shaw said he made a “stupid mistake” but stressed that his use of cannabis was strictly medicinal. “I use cannabis as a medicine,” he said. “I have an inflammatory condition called Crohn’s disease that’s incurable. There’s no medicine apart from cannabis that stops my stomach from aching.”
Authorities charged Shaw with possessing 869 grams of marijuana—nearly a kilogram—based on the total weight of the gummies, even though most of that mass came from non-cannabis ingredients. “They’re making it seem like I’m this big drug dealer,” Shaw said. “Why would I bring the candy here to sell? It was for personal use.”
The former Texas Tech player described his first months behind bars as the “lowest point” of his life. “I felt helpless and alone. I didn’t want to wake up again,” he said, adding that he hopes to continue his basketball career if freed.
A State Department spokesperson told Marijuana Moment that officials are “aware of reports of a U.S. citizen detained in Indonesia” but declined to comment further. It remains unclear whether the Trump administration will classify Shaw as “wrongfully detained,” a move that could facilitate his release.
The situation echoes the cases of Americans Marc Fogel and Brittney Griner, both detained abroad for marijuana possession. Fogel, a former teacher, was recently released from Russia after serving time for carrying medical cannabis, while Griner’s imprisonment in 2022 sparked international outrage.
As Shaw awaits trial, his fate may hinge on both Indonesia’s unforgiving drug policies and shifting U.S. diplomatic priorities toward Americans jailed overseas for cannabis.
Read the whole article from MarijuanaMoment here.
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