Basis of Presentation (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Basis of Presentation [Abstract]
FASB ASU 2010-09	Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements. Lorillard adopted FASB ASU 2010-09 “Subsequent Events (Topic 855): Amendments to Certain Recognition and Disclosure Requirements.” ASU 2010-09 amends Topic 855 for SEC filers to eliminate the disclosure of the date through which subsequent events have been reviewed. The effective date was February 24, 2010. ASU 2010-09 did not have a material impact on Lorillard’s financial position or results of operations.
FASB ASU 2010-06	Lorillard adopted FASB ASU 2010-06 “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (Topic 820): Improving Disclosures about Fair Value Measurements.” ASU 2010-06 establishes additional disclosures related to fair value. Transfers in and out of Level 1 and Level 2 and the reasons for the transfers must be disclosed. Level 3 purchases, sales, issuances and settlements should be presented separately rather than net. In addition, the level of disaggregation and input and valuation techniques need to be disclosed. The effective dates are periods beginning after December 15, 2010 for the Level 3 purchases, sales, issuances and settlements disclosure, and periods beginning after December 15, 2009 for all other provisions. ASU 2010-06 did not have a material impact on Lorillard’s financial position or results of operations.
FASB ASU 2011-04	Lorillard adopted ASU 2011-04 “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRS.” ASU 2011-04 clarifies certain areas of the fair value guidance, including application of the highest and best use and valuation premise concepts, measuring the fair value of an instrument classified in a reporting entity’s shareholders’ equity, and quantitative information about unobservable inputs used in a Level 3 fair value measurement. Additionally, ASU 2011-04 contains guidance on measuring the fair value of instruments that are managed within a portfolio, application of premiums and discounts in a fair value measurement, and requires additional disclosures about fair value measurements. The amendments contained in ASU 2011-04 are to be applied prospectively, and ASU 2011-04 is effective for public companies for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. ASU 2011-04 did not have a material impact on Lorillard’s financial position or results of operations.
FASB ASU 2011-05	Lorillard adopted ASU 2011-05 “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income.” ASU 2011-05 requires presentation of comprehensive income in either a single statement of comprehensive income or two separate but consecutive statements. ASU 2011-05 does not change the definitions or the components of net income and other comprehensive income (OCI), when an item must be reclassified from OCI to net income, or the calculation or presentation of earnings per share. The entity still has the choice to either present OCI components before tax with one line amount for tax, or net of taxes. Disclosure of the tax impact for each OCI component is still required. ASU 2011-05 is effective for public companies for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2011 and must be applied retrospectively. ASU 2011-05 did not have any impact on Lorillard’s financial position or results of operations, but resulted in the presentation of a separate statement of other comprehensive income.
FASB ASU 2011-08	In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-08 “Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Goodwill for Impairment.” ASU 2011-08 gives an entity the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value in a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If an entity determines that it is not more likely than not, then performing a two-step impairment test of goodwill is not necessary. ASU 2011-08 is effective for public companies for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of ASU 2011-08 did not have a material impact on Lorillard’s financial position or results of operations, but may impact the manner in which Lorillard assesses goodwill for impairment.

Basis of Presentation (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

FASB ASU 2010-09

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements. Lorillard adopted FASB ASU 2010-09 “Subsequent Events (Topic 855): Amendments to Certain Recognition and Disclosure Requirements.” ASU 2010-09 amends Topic 855 for SEC filers to eliminate the disclosure of the date through which subsequent events have been reviewed. The effective date was February 24, 2010. ASU 2010-09 did not have a material impact on Lorillard’s financial position or results of operations.

FASB ASU 2010-06

Lorillard adopted FASB ASU 2010-06 “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (Topic 820): Improving Disclosures about Fair Value Measurements.” ASU 2010-06 establishes additional disclosures related to fair value. Transfers in and out of Level 1 and Level 2 and the reasons for the transfers must be disclosed. Level 3 purchases, sales, issuances and settlements should be presented separately rather than net. In addition, the level of disaggregation and input and valuation techniques need to be disclosed. The effective dates are periods beginning after December 15, 2010 for the Level 3 purchases, sales, issuances and settlements disclosure, and periods beginning after December 15, 2009 for all other provisions. ASU 2010-06 did not have a material impact on Lorillard’s financial position or results of operations.

FASB ASU 2011-04

Lorillard adopted ASU 2011-04 “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRS.” ASU 2011-04 clarifies certain areas of the fair value guidance, including application of the highest and best use and valuation premise concepts, measuring the fair value of an instrument classified in a reporting entity’s shareholders’ equity, and quantitative information about unobservable inputs used in a Level 3 fair value measurement. Additionally, ASU 2011-04 contains guidance on measuring the fair value of instruments that are managed within a portfolio, application of premiums and discounts in a fair value measurement, and requires additional disclosures about fair value measurements. The amendments contained in ASU 2011-04 are to be applied prospectively, and ASU 2011-04 is effective for public companies for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. ASU 2011-04 did not have a material impact on Lorillard’s financial position or results of operations.

FASB ASU 2011-05

Lorillard adopted ASU 2011-05 “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income.” ASU 2011-05 requires presentation of comprehensive income in either a single statement of comprehensive income or two separate but consecutive statements. ASU 2011-05 does not change the definitions or the components of net income and other comprehensive income (OCI), when an item must be reclassified from OCI to net income, or the calculation or presentation of earnings per share. The entity still has the choice to either present OCI components before tax with one line amount for tax, or net of taxes. Disclosure of the tax impact for each OCI component is still required. ASU 2011-05 is effective for public companies for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2011 and must be applied retrospectively. ASU 2011-05 did not have any impact on Lorillard’s financial position or results of operations, but resulted in the presentation of a separate statement of other comprehensive income.

FASB ASU 2011-08

In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-08 “Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Goodwill for Impairment.” ASU 2011-08 gives an entity the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value in a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If an entity determines that it is not more likely than not, then performing a two-step impairment test of goodwill is not necessary. ASU 2011-08 is effective for public companies for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of ASU 2011-08 did not have a material impact on Lorillard’s financial position or results of operations, but may impact the manner in which Lorillard assesses goodwill for impairment.