Historically, a lector or reader was always employed to entertain the cigar factory workers. This habitude became anachronistic once audio books for portable players became available, but it is still practiced in some Cuban factories. The name for the Montecristo cigar brand may have arisen from this practice. (See Cigar Brands).

As of 2007 it remains bootleg for US residents to purchase or import Cuban cigars, although they are readily prepared across the northern border in Canada, and cramped quantities can in custom be brought final without discord from US Customs if the bands are removed prior to crossing. While Cuban cigars are smuggled into the USA and sold at high prices, counterfeiting is rife; it dud been said that 95% of Cuban cigars sold in the USA are counterfeit. Although Cuban cigars cannot legally be carried into the USA, the advent of the Internet unfashionable prepared it much easier for people in the United States Cuban Cigar to purchase cigars online from other countries.