Do cigarettes expire?
Cigarettes don't have a true expiry date, but they dry out. Sealed in their cellophane and kept somewhere cool and dark, a carton holds its flavour for roughly a year. Opened packs go stale within weeks.
What actually changes over time
Tobacco loses moisture. As it dries the burn gets faster and hotter and the flavour goes flat and harsh. Nothing becomes unsafe — it simply stops being pleasant.
The cellophane wrap on a sealed pack slows this considerably. It's why an unopened carton keeps far better than a part-used one.
Storing a bulk order properly
Keep cartons sealed until you need them, somewhere cool, dark and dry. A cupboard is ideal. Avoid anywhere that gets warm or damp — near a window, on top of a fridge, in a car.
Stored that way, buying thirty cartons to reach the best price is sensible rather than risky. They'll still be good long after you've smoked them.