Contingencies Individual Actions (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended												2 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended				1 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012 Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 West Virginia State Court Cases [Member] Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2012 FLORIDA Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2012 NEW YORK Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2012 LOUISIANA Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2012 MARYLAND Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2012 WEST VIRGINIA Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2012 MISSOURI Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2012 OHIO Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2012 Liggett Only Cases [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2012 Injury From Cigarette Smoking, Addiction or Exposure to Secondary Smoke [Member] Liggett [Member] cases	Feb. 28, 2009 Ferlanti v Liggett Group [Member] Liggett [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Ferlanti v Liggett Group [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Ferlanti v Liggett Group [Member] Liggett [Member]	Dec. 31, 2000 Engle Progeny Cases [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Engle Progeny Cases [Member] Liggett [Member] cases plaintiffs	Mar. 31, 2012 Federal Cases [Member] Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2012 State Cases [Member] Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2012 Engle Progency Cases Excluding Lukacs [Member] Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2012 Engle Case Class Action [Member] cases	Aug. 31, 2011 Engle Case Class Action [Member] cases	Dec. 31, 2010 Engle Case Class Action [Member] cases	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]	Mar. 31, 2012 Engle Case Class Action [Member] Liggett [Member] cases	Nov. 30, 2008 Lukacs case [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Lukacs case [Member] Liggett [Member]	Jun. 30, 2002 Lukacs case [Member] Liggett [Member]	Dec. 31, 2002 Lukacs case [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Campbell v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Douglas v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Clay v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Putney v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Tullo v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Ward v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Minimum [Member] Engle Progency Cases Excluding Lukacs [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Maximum [Member] Engle Progency Cases Excluding Lukacs [Member] Liggett [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending			100	16	8	4	4	2	1	1	7	36					5,727	2,734	2,993		20	22					12
Settlements of litigation																	78			11
Cases with adverse verdicts																				6
Defense Verdicts																				5
Damages awarded													$ 816			$ 145,000,000	$ 998								$ 790,000	$ 12,704		$ 24,835	$ 12,418	$ 37,500	$ 24,835	$ 156	$ 1,350	$ 349	$ 3,008	$ 225	$ 1	$ 1	$ 3,008
Punitive damages																																		1,000
Number of cases gone to trial to date																	63
Loss Contingency Over Turned Judgment																								5,831
Plaintiffs																	7,911
Judgement entered																																					487,000
Minimum loss exposure																				0
Maximum loss exposure																				5,933
Previously accrued expense															2,000					156
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)
Stays lifted																							12
Re-Stayed cases																					2
Plaintiff legal fees	$ 1,961	$ 1,969												$ 996