For seven months, American athlete Jarred Shaw sat inside Indonesia’s prison system, wondering whether a package of THC gummies sent from Thailand would cost him his life. On Tuesday, an Indonesian court sentenced the 35-year-old to 26 months. The decision marks a sharp departure from the death penalty framework that police and prosecutors had floated earlier in the case.
According to humanitarian advocate and international justice negotiator Donte West, who shared the verdict directly with High Times, the ruling reflects an uncommon acknowledgment of medical context inside Indonesia’s narcotics courts. Shaw uses THC products to manage symptoms of Crohn’s disease, a chronic condition he has spoken about publicly throughout his career.
“This is a major step forward globally,” West said. “Jarred was wrongfully pushed toward a death penalty narrative over THC gummies used for medical treatment. Today’s outcome gives him a fighting chance to return home, receive proper medical care, and be reunited with his family.”
A case that nearly ended in a death sentence
Shaw’s arrest in May followed the delivery of a package authorities said contained THC-infused gummies. Indonesian officials initially accused him of trafficking, a classification that can carry the country’s most severe penalties. Early briefings to local media framed Shaw as a distributor rather than a patient.
Today’s verdict tells a different story. The court did not apply trafficking enhancements. The shift in sentencing reflects new weight given to medical evidence and Shaw’s documented Crohn’s disease.
High Times reviewed direct communications between Shaw’s attorney and the advocacy team confirming the court’s decision and the medical findings presented during the process.
Attorney Richard Siregar told High Times that medical verification played a critical role. “We confirmed Jarred’s medical condition and assessed the severity of his Crohn’ …
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Author: Javier Hasse / High Times
