I'm very sorry to hear about your ailment. I suffer from gout myself, and I understand the the pain I get is similar to arthritis. One thing that smoking can't fix is the swelling, so that is always going to be a problem unless you have some sort of anti-inflammatory medicine.

In my personal case, the persistent back pain I suffer from, along with horrible chronic pain in my feet, do benefit from mj. More than anything, it helps ease stress, and allows me to relax, which is something I struggle with.

Speak to your doctor about your arthritis and the pain. Perhaps you could get on some sort of anti-inflammatory medicine that could help.

Best of luck to you!
Onward!