I am guessing cigar tubes are a marking tool like BW said and a way to protect the cigar when transporting it. But let me ask this is it common to buy a box of cigars in tubes? I trying to think if I ever had a box like that but maybe once anyhow I think it's just a nice way to sell a single and to keep other people from putting thier paws on it in the store. All that being said I leave my cigars in the tube and maybe a few times a year I open the tubes that can be opened and sing them a song just so they don't feel segregated or unwanted.