• Joint pain and morning stiffness: Limited. One small, short trial of a THC/CBD spray improved pain and sleep.
• Controlling the disease: Not established. Lab studies show anti-inflammatory effects, but no human study shows cannabis prevents joint damage.

Compared with standard treatment: Disease-modifying drugs (DMARDs and biologics) prevent permanent joint destruction. Cannabis can only be an add-on for symptoms.

Good to know: Never stop your rheumatology medicines because you feel better on cannabis. Ask your pharmacist to check for interactions with your other medicines.

What to ask for: A balanced 1:1 THC:CBD product by mouth spray or under the tongue, the type used in the only rheumatoid arthritis trial. It improved pain, sleep, and disease- activity scores modestly over 5 weeks.