The number represents the allegation of violation of laws, number of state's laws affected.

No definition available.

Name:	rai_AllegationOfViolationOfLawsNumberOfStatesLawsAffected
Namespace Prefix:	rai_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The percentage represents the amount of fault allocated to defendants at trial.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rai_AllocationOfFault
Namespace Prefix:	rai_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount represents the amount of compensatory damages.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rai_CompensatoryDamages
Namespace Prefix:	rai_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount represents the amount of profits the government contended were the result of racketeering.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rai_DisgorgementChargesSoughtValue
Namespace Prefix:	rai_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount represents the amount accrued for the estimated cost for corrective communications.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rai_LossContingencyEstimatedFees
Namespace Prefix:	rai_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number represents the number of cases pending.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rai_NumberOfCasesPending
Namespace Prefix:	rai_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number represents the number of cases pending in state courts.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rai_NumberOfCasesPendingInStateCourts
Namespace Prefix:	rai_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount represents the amount of damages the plaintiff sought against each defendant.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rai_PlaintiffJudgmentSoughtAgainstEachDefendant
Namespace Prefix:	rai_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount represents the amount of punitive damages awarded in a case.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rai_PunitiveDamages
Namespace Prefix:	rai_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount represents the remitted amount of compensatory damages.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rai_RemittedCompensatoryDamages
Namespace Prefix:	rai_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount awarded to other party in judgment or settlement of litigation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationSettlementAmountAwardedToOtherParty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of claims settled.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsSettledNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=rai_FilterCasesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=rai_LorillardTobaccoAndLorillardIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=rai_RJRTobaccoAndLorillardTobaccoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=rai_LightCaseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=rai_PhilipMorrisMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=rai_ConsolidatedLitigationOnNaturalOrganicAndCentPercentAdditiveFreeMarketingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=rai_ParsonsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=rai_DeLisleMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis=rai_HollingsworthAndVoseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis=rai_OtherDefendantsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=rai_LorillardTobaccoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=rai_UnitedStatesVPhilipMorrisUSAIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=rai_USDepartmentOfJusticeCasesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=rai_DOJMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=rai_SettlementAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_US
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=rai_ClassActionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information 15 (Detail) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	54 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 1998 LegalMatter	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) LegalMatter Case	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) LegalMatter Case	Sep. 19, 2016 State	Jun. 30, 2016 LegalMatter	Nov. 06, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 13, 2013 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2003 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 1999 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of cases pending \| LegalMatter		249	249		286
Claims resolved, Number \| LegalMatter	4
Number of cases pending in state court \| LegalMatter		194	194
Filter Cases \| Lorillard Tobacco and Lorillard, Inc.
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of cases pending \| Case		73	73
RJR Tobacco and Lorillard Tobacco \| Filter Cases
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation settlement, amount			$ 42,300
Claims resolved, Number \| Case			165
Light Case \| Philip Morris
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages								$ 7,100,000
Punitive damages								$ 3,000,000
Consolidated Litigation on "Natural", "Organic" and "100% Additive-Free" Marketing
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of state's laws affected \| State				12
Parsons
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Judgment sought against each defendant		$ 1,000	$ 1,000
De Lisle \| Filter Cases
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages							$ 8,000
Remitted compensatory damages							$ 8,000
De Lisle \| Filter Cases \| Hollingsworth & Vose
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Allocation of fault							22.00%
De Lisle \| Filter Cases \| Other Defendant
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Allocation of fault							56.00%
De Lisle \| Filter Cases \| Lorillard Tobacco
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages						$ 3,520
Allocation of fault							22.00%
United States v. Philip Morris USA Inc \| U.S. Department of Justice Case
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Disgorgement charges sought									$ 280,000,000
DOJ
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrued estimated cost for corrective communication		$ 20,000
State Settlement Agreements
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of cases pending in state court \| Case		2	2
UNITED STATES
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of cases pending \| LegalMatter		232	232
UNITED STATES \| Class Action
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of cases pending \| LegalMatter		25	25