They’re functionally the same – smoking plant material in that form factor. But I’ve noticed cigarette smokers tend to hold the cigarette facing out, in between their index and middle finger. Whereas someone smoking a joint would more typically hold it towards their palm, between their thumb and middle or index finger.
Joints are packed/rolled differently than commercial cigarettes. Cigarettes are stiff and tightly packed, they won’t droop at all. Joints are different, at least pre-dispensary days (in the US). They’d be packed by whichever friend liked to do it whether they were good or not. So you’d get varying stiffness in your joints, making it easier to pinch them between the index and thumb rather than gently resting like a cigarette does. Nowadays if it comes from the dispo I can hold it like a cig.