Contingencies Individual Actions (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended											1 Months Ended	2 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	44 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	1 Months Ended			9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	9 Months Ended							1 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012 Liggett [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Liggett [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 West Virginia State Court Cases [Member] Liggett [Member] cases	Sep. 30, 2012 FLORIDA Liggett [Member] cases	Sep. 30, 2012 NEW YORK Liggett [Member] cases	Sep. 30, 2012 LOUISIANA Liggett [Member] cases	Sep. 30, 2012 MARYLAND Liggett [Member] cases	Sep. 30, 2012 WEST VIRGINIA Liggett [Member] cases	Sep. 30, 2012 MISSOURI Liggett [Member] cases	Sep. 30, 2012 OHIO Liggett [Member] cases	Sep. 30, 2012 Liggett Only Cases [Member] cases	Sep. 30, 2010 Ferlanti v Liggett Group [Member] Liggett [Member]	Feb. 28, 2009 Ferlanti v Liggett Group [Member] Liggett [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Non-Engle Progency Cases [Member] Liggett [Member] cases	Jul. 31, 2000 Engle Progeny Cases [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Engle Progeny Cases [Member] Liggett [Member] cases plaintiffs	Sep. 30, 2012 Engle Progeny Cases [Member] Liggett [Member] cases plaintiffs	Sep. 30, 2012 Federal Cases [Member] Liggett [Member] verdict cases judges	Sep. 30, 2012 State Cases [Member] Liggett [Member] cases	Sep. 30, 2012 Engle Progency Cases Excluding Lukacs [Member] Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2010 Lukacs case [Member] Liggett [Member]	Nov. 30, 2008 Lukacs case [Member] Liggett [Member]	Jun. 30, 2002 Lukacs case [Member] Liggett [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Lukacs case [Member] Liggett [Member]	Dec. 31, 2002 Lukacs case [Member] Liggett [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Campbell v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Douglas v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Clay v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Putney v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Tullo v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Ward v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Calloway v RJ Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	May 31, 2003 Engle Case Class Action [Member] Liggett [Member]	Jul. 31, 2000 Engle Case Class Action [Member] Liggett [Member]	Apr. 30, 2000 Engle Case Class Action [Member] Liggett [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Engle Case Class Action [Member] Liggett [Member] cases	Sep. 30, 2012 Minimum [Member] Engle Progency Cases Excluding Lukacs [Member] Liggett [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Maximum [Member] Engle Progency Cases Excluding Lukacs [Member] Liggett [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending			100	47	8	3	3	2	1	1	8			65		5,079	5,079	2,016	3,063																	7
Settlements of litigation																91				12
Plaintiffs Verdicts																				7
Defense Verdicts																				5
Damages awarded													$ 816		$ 145,000,000	$ 1,017						$ 24,835	$ 37,500	$ 12,418	$ 24,835	$ 156	$ 1,350	$ 349	$ 3,008	$ 225	$ 1	$ 1,947		$ 790,000	$ 12,704		$ 1	$ 3,008
Punitive damages																												1,000				7,600
Number Of Cases Gone To Trial To Date																	71
Minimum loss exposure																69,000	69,000			0
Maximum loss exposure																85,000	85,000			15,480
Loss Contingency Over Turned Judgment																																	5,831
Plaintiffs																6,594	6,594
Loss Contingency, Judgment Entered, Value																															487	16,100
Period Between Trial And Final Verdict																							5 years
Percent Responsible for Damages Incurred by Plaintiff																							50.00%
Gain (Loss) Related to Litigation Settlement																					(14,361)
Number of judges ruling																		3
Ruling certified for interlocutory review																		2
Stays lifted																																				34
Plaintiff legal fees	6,006	5,216										996
Previously accrued expense												$ 2,000
Litigation scheduled for trial																30	30