American Basketball Player Faces Death Penalty in Indonesia Over Cannabis Gummies

American basketball player Jarred Shaw, who plays in Indonesia, faces the death penalty or life imprisonment after being arrested for possessing cannabis gummies he claims to use for medical treatment of his Crohn's disease. Shaw was apprehended after receiving a package containing 132 cannabis-infused gummies, which Indonesian authorities consider a serious drug offense under the country's strict anti-drug laws. Despite Shaw's insistence that the gummies were for personal medicinal use to alleviate severe stomach pain, anxiety, and other symptoms related to his condition, police allege he intended to share them with teammates. Since his arrest, Shaw has been detained outside Jakarta and banned for life from the Indonesian Basketball League, expressing feelings of despair and isolation during pre-trial detention. Shaw and supporters argue that while cannabis is illegal and harshly penalized in Indonesia, it serves as his only effective medicine, highlighting the stark cultural and legal differences regarding drug use. Fundraising efforts are underway to support his legal defense as he awaits a court date amid potential capital punishment charges.