Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a cigarette; also attrib.

1902		Mills & Scott [perf. George Robey] ‘The Artist’ 🎵 I don't ride in cabs, my brand of cigarette is ‘tabs’.
1905		Sun. Times (Perth) 17 Sept. 4/7: These smokes are sold a bob a pair / At Tab’s tobacco store.
1934		P. Allingham Cheapjack 24: ’Ave you got a tab on yer?
1989		(con. 1968) W.E. Merritt Where the Rivers Ran Backward 208: Maybe he’ll cut himself on a tab and get infected off one of them nasty damn butts.
1993		(con. 1918) P. Barker Eye in the Door 95: Breaking off now and then for a drag on a tab end.
2000		Observer 27 Feb. 11: Her one comfort is smoking [...] ‘I had the other women hunting around the floor for used tab ends.’.
2007		A. Guthrie Hard Man 171: A quick draw on his tab and he was even better.
2009		R. Milward Ten Storey Love Song 184: A tab hanging out his mouth.
2018		I. Welsh Dead Man’s Trousers 30: A vaguely recognised tab-puffing bam.