It is common for cigarettes to expire because cigarettes have a shelf life of about one year.
However, there are many different types of cigarettes that do not go bad so quickly. For example, Dutch Rolls have been approved for sale even after six years. Other manufacturers who make smokeless tobaccos use liquid that last much longer than smokes and cigars. That being said, the only way to know how old any particular cigarette is would be to ask the manufacturer and judge based on their response or expiration date.