Contingencies (Engle Progeny Cases Trial Results - Pending and Concluded) (Details) - USD ($)	1 Months Ended				3 Months Ended					9 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2017	Feb. 28, 2017	Oct. 31, 2012	Aug. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Oct. 31, 2017	Aug. 31, 2017	May 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Nov. 30, 2016	Jul. 31, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Apr. 30, 2016	Feb. 29, 2016	Jan. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Nov. 30, 2015	Oct. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Aug. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	May 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Feb. 28, 2015	Jan. 31, 2015	Nov. 30, 2014	Oct. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jul. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	May 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	May 31, 2013	Apr. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	May 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Nov. 30, 2010	Apr. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Nov. 30, 2009	Jul. 31, 2000
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Payments made related to litigation					$ 0			$ 0		$ 18,000,000	$ 145,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Punitive damages awarded																																																					$ 145,000,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Punitive damages awarded																																																					$ 74,000,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Wallace [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded												$ 12,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Wallace [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded												$ 7,900,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage												66.00%
Punitive damages awarded												$ 16,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, L. Martin [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded														$ 1,100,000
Engle Progeny Cases, L. Martin [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded														$ 605,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage														55.00%
Punitive damages awarded														$ 1,300,000
Appeal bond posted													$ 1,900,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Sommers [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded	$ 1,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Sommers [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage	40.00%
Engle Progeny Cases, Santoro [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded															$ 1,600,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Santoro [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded															$ 450,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage															28.00%
Punitive damages awarded															$ 100,000
Engle Progeny Cases, J. Brown [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded		$ 5,400,000
Engle Progeny Cases, J. Brown [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage		35.00%
Punitive damages awarded		$ 200,000
Appeal bond posted					$ 2,500,000					$ 2,500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Pardue [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded		5,200,000					$ 5,900,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Pardue [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage							25.00%
Punitive damages awarded							$ 6,750,000
Appeal bond posted	$ 2,500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, S. Martin [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																$ 5,400,000
Engle Progeny Cases, S. Martin [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																$ 2,480,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																46.00%
Punitive damages awarded																$ 450,000
Appeal bond posted		2,900,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Howles [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																4,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Howles [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																$ 2,000,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																50.00%
Punitive damages awarded																$ 3,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Oshinsky-Blacker [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded								6,155,000			6,155,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Oshinsky-Blacker [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded								$ 3,700,000			$ 3,700,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage								60.00%			60.00%
Punitive damages awarded								$ 1,000,000			$ 1,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Sermons [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																	$ 65,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Sermons [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																	$ 9,750
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																	15.00%
Punitive damages awarded																	$ 51,225
Engle Progeny Cases, Purdo [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																			$ 21,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Purdo [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																			$ 2,520,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																			12.00%
Punitive damages awarded																			$ 6,250,000
Appeal bond posted																		$ 1,500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, McCall [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded									$ 350,000
Engle Progeny Cases, McCall [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded									$ 87,500
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage									25.00%
Engle Progeny Cases, Ahrens [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																				$ 9,000,000
Appeal bond posted																			$ 2,500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Ahrens [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																				24.00%
Punitive damages awarded																				$ 2,500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Ledoux [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																						$ 10,000,000
Appeal bond posted									$ 2,500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Ledoux [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																						47.00%
Punitive damages awarded																						$ 12,500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Barbose [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																							$ 10,000,000
Punitive damages awarded																							$ 500,000
Appeal bond posted																				2,500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Barbose [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																							42.50%
Engle Progeny Cases, Tognoli [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																							$ 1,050,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Tognoli [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																							$ 157,500
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																							15.00%
Engle Progeny Cases, Danielson [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																							$ 325,000
Punitive damages awarded																							325,000
Economic damages sought																							$ 2,300,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Danielson [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																							49.00%
Engle Progeny Cases, Marchese [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																								$ 1,000,000
Punitive damages awarded																								250,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Marchese [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																								$ 225,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																								22.50%
Appeal bond posted																		$ 475,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Duignan [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																									$ 6,000,000
Appeal bond posted																							$ 2,700,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Duignan [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																									37.00%
Punitive damages awarded																									$ 3,500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Cooper [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																									4,500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Cooper [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																				$ 300,000					$ 450,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																									10.00%
Appeal bond posted									300,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Jordan [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																										$ 7,800,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																										60.00%
Punitive damages awarded																										$ 3,200,000
Reduced compensatory awards																										$ 6,400,000
Engle Progeny Cases, McCoy [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																											$ 1,500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, McCoy [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																											$ 300,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																											20.00%
Punitive damages awarded																											$ 3,000,000
Appeal bond posted																					$ 1,650,000
Engle Progeny Cases, M. Brown [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																													$ 6,375,000
Appeal bond posted																													$ 5,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Gore [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																														$ 2,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Gore [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																														$ 460,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																														23.00%
Appeal bond posted																								$ 460,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Pollari [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																														$ 10,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Pollari [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																														$ 4,250,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																														42.50%
Punitive damages awarded																														$ 1,500,000
Appeal bond posted																					2,500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Zamboni [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																															$ 340,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Zamboni [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																															$ 34,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																															10.00%
Engle Progeny Cases, Caprio [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Economic damages awarded																															$ 559,172
Engle Progeny Cases, Caprio [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																															25.00%
Engle Progeny Cases, McKeever [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																															$ 5,800,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																															60.00%
Punitive damages awarded																															$ 11,630,000
Appeal bond posted																												$ 5,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, D. Brown [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																$ 8,300,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																																55.00%
Punitive damages awarded																																$ 9,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Allen [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																	$ 3,100,000															$ 6,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Allen [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																																	6.00%
Punitive damages awarded																																	$ 7,760,000															$ 17,000,000
Appeal bond posted																									$ 2,500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Perrotto [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																	4,100,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Perrotto [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																	$ 1,020,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																																	25.00%
Engle Progeny Cases, Boatright [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																	$ 15,000,000
Punitive damages awarded against co-defendant																																	300,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Boatright [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																	$ 12,750,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																																	85.00%
Punitive damages awarded																																	$ 19,700,000
Appeal bond posted																															$ 3,980,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Kerrivan [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																		$ 15,800,000
Punitive damages awarded																																		$ 25,300,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Kerrivan [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																																		50.00%
Punitive damages awarded																																		$ 15,700,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Lourie [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																		1,370,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Lourie [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																		$ 370,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																																		27.00%
Appeal bond posted																																	$ 370,318
Provision related to litigation recorded						$ 2,300,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Berger [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																			$ 6,250,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																																			60.00%
Punitive damages awarded																																			$ 20,760,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Harris [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																				$ 1,730,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Harris [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																																				15.00%
Engle Progeny Cases, Griffin [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																					$ 1,270,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Griffin [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																					$ 630,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																																					50.00%
Appeal bond posted																																		$ 640,543
Provision related to litigation recorded						1,100,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Burkhart [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																						$ 5,000,000
Punitive damages awarded																																						$ 2,500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Burkhart [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																																						15.00%
Punitive damages awarded																																						$ 750,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Skolnick [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																										$ 2,555,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Skolnick [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																										$ 766,500
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																																										30.00%
Appeal bond posted																																							$ 766,500
Engle Progeny Cases, Starr-Blundell [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																										$ 500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Starr-Blundell [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																										$ 50,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																																										10.00%
Provision related to litigation recorded									$ 55,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Graham [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																											$ 2,750,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Graham [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																											$ 275,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																																											10.00%
Appeal bond posted																																								$ 277,750
Provision related to litigation recorded						500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Searcy [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																									$ 1,000,000			$ 6,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Searcy [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																																												30.00%
Punitive damages awarded																																									$ 1,670,000			$ 10,000,000
Appeal bond posted																																							$ 2,200,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Calloway [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				$ 16,100,000																																											$ 21,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Calloway [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																					$ 4,025,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																																															25.00%
Punitive damages awarded																																															$ 17,000,000
Appeal bond posted																																													$ 1,500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Calloway [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | R.J. Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Punitive damages awarded against co-defendant																																															17,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Calloway [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | Lorillard [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Punitive damages awarded against co-defendant																																															13,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Calloway [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | Liggett Group [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Punitive damages awarded against co-defendant																																															$ 8,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Putney [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded														$ 225,000																																				$ 15,100,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Putney [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																																		$ 2,300,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																																																		15.00%
Punitive damages awarded																																																		$ 2,500,000
Appeal bond posted																																																	$ 1,600,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Naugle [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																																								3,700,000						$ 12,300,000					$ 13,000,000	$ 56,600,000
Punitive damages awarded																																								$ 7,500,000						$ 24,500,000					$ 26,000,000	$ 244,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Naugle [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																																																				90.00%
Appeal bond posted																																																		$ 5,000,000
Provision related to litigation recorded						13,200,000
Litigation escrow deposit, increase						$ 6,200,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Merino [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																											$ 8,000,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																											70.00%
Punitive damages awarded																											$ 6,500,000
Appeal bond posted							14,500,000																		$ 5,000,000
Provision related to litigation recorded							$ 16,900,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Merino [Member] | Settled Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Payments made related to litigation	$ 17,400,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Varner [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																	1,500,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Varner [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded																	$ 375,000
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage																	25.00%
Engle Progeny Cases, Varner [Member] | Settled Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Payments made related to litigation		$ 600,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Hancock [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				0
Damages awarded, value				$ 110,000
Engle Progeny Cases, Hancock [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded			$ 700
Compensatory damages award, allocation percentage				5.00%
Damages sought, value			$ 20,000