Tobacco tubes — also called cigarette tubes or filter tubes — are empty, pre-made cigarette papers already rolled into a cylinder with a filter attached, which you fill with loose leaf tobacco using an injector. The result looks much like a manufactured cigarette. This White Birch Post explainer covers how tubes are made, common sizes, how filling works and what to watch for.
What is a tobacco tube made of?
A tube has two parts:
- The paper tube. A cylinder of cigarette paper, glued along a seam, open at one end.
- The filter. A plug of filter material (usually cellulose acetate) at the other end, wrapped in tipping paper — the band that often looks like cork on a manufactured cigarette.
You add the third part: the tobacco.
What sizes do tobacco tubes come in?
Tubes are sold to match common manufactured cigarette lengths. The two you'll see most often:
King size
The standard length. King size tubes match the length of a typical king size cigarette. This is the most common size.
100s
Longer. 100s tubes are named for their length in millimetres and match 100 mm cigarettes. They hold more tobacco per tube.
Other variations
- Filter length — some tubes have a longer filter, which leaves less room for tobacco.
- Slim or super-slim tubes — narrower than standard.
Your injector has to match the tube size. Many injectors handle both king size and 100s with an adjustment; slims usually need a dedicated injector. Our guide to king size vs regular cigarettes explains cigarette lengths in more detail.
How do you fill a tobacco tube?
With an injector. Fill the injector's chamber with loose leaf, slide an empty tube over the nozzle, and push the lever or turn the crank to drive the tobacco into the tube. Our injector tubes vs hand-rolling guide has step-by-step instructions and compares the two methods.
By hand, with difficulty. Some people fill tubes with a small hand "spoon" filler, but it's slow and hard to pack evenly.
How are tubes sold?
In boxes, with counts that vary by brand — 200 is a common size. Tubes are sold separately from tobacco, so you buy them, the injector and the loose leaf as three separate things.
What tobacco works in tubes?
Medium to slightly coarse cut. Tobacco cut a bit coarser than typical rolling tobacco packs into tubes more evenly and is less likely to jam the injector. Fine cut works but can pack too densely. Loose leaf tobacco cut types explains the common cuts.
At the right moisture. Tobacco that's too dry tears tubes and falls out of the open end; tobacco that's too damp clumps and jams. See how to store loose leaf tobacco.
What are common problems with tubes?
- Torn tubes. Usually overpacking, dry tobacco, or a tube that isn't fully seated on the nozzle.
- Loose or soft fill. The chamber wasn't filled evenly or full enough.
- Collapsed filter end. Pushing too hard when sliding the tube on.
- Crooked tubes. Tubes stored somewhere damp can warp before they're used.
How should you store empty tubes?
Somewhere dry and flat. Keep the box closed, away from humidity, and don't stack heavy things on it. Tubes that absorb moisture can warp or have weakened seams.
How do you store filled tubes?
Use them soon. Filled tubes aren't sealed like a manufactured pack, so they dry out within a few days. Fill what you'll use in the next day or two and keep them in a closed case.
Are tubes different from manufactured cigarettes?
In how they're made, not in what they are. A filled tube is a cigarette made at home rather than in a factory. Manufactured cigarettes are sold in sealed packs with mandatory plain packaging and health warnings; tubes and loose leaf are sold separately and assembled by the smoker. They're also taxed differently — loose tobacco and manufactured cigarettes fall under different tax rules, covered in our Canadian tobacco tax by province guide.
Not a safer option. Cigarettes made from tubes carry the same serious health risks as manufactured cigarettes.
Does White Birch Post sell tubes?
No. We don't sell tubes, injectors or rolling papers; they're widely available at tobacconists and convenience stores. We do sell loose leaf tobacco, including Turtle Island and Sago. For more on the two ways to use loose leaf, read loose leaf: rolling papers vs tubes.
The bottom line
A tobacco tube is an empty, pre-filtered cigarette paper you fill with loose leaf using an injector. Match the tube size to your injector, use tobacco at the right cut and moisture, and fill only what you'll use soon. Browse our Loose Leaf section.
White Birch Post sells to adults 19 and over only. Smoking is harmful to your health. If you're thinking about cutting back or quitting, our responsible use page lists free Canadian support services.