Notes Payable, Long Term Debt and Other Obligations (Textuals) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		4 Months Ended	8 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended					9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012 Liggett [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Revolving Credit and Term Loan Facility [Member]	Feb. 29, 2012 Liggett [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Liggett [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Liggett [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Liggett [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Term Loan Under Credit Facility [Member]	Feb. 21, 2012 Liggett [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Term Loan Under Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Liggett [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Term Loan Under Credit Facility [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Vector [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Vector [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Vector [Member]	Apr. 30, 2010 Vector [Member] Secured Debt [Member] 11% Senior Secured Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Aug. 31, 2007 Vector [Member] Secured Debt [Member] 11% Senior Secured Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2009 Vector [Member] Secured Debt [Member] 11% Senior Secured Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Vector [Member] Secured Debt [Member] 11% Senior Secured Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Vector [Member] Secured Debt [Member] 11% Senior Secured Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Vector [Member] Secured Debt [Member] 11% Senior Secured Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]		Jun. 30, 2012 Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Feb. 29, 2012 Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]		Sep. 30, 2012 Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Debentures Subject to Mandatory Redemption [Member] Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Debentures Subject to Mandatory Redemption [Member] Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Jun. 15, 2011 Debentures Subject to Mandatory Redemption [Member] Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Wells Fargo Adjusted Eurodollar Rate [Member] Liggett [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Term Loan Under Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility maximum borrowing capacity							$ 50,000	$ 50,000
Days of notice required to terminate credit facility							30 days
Basis spread on variable rate								2.00%																												1.75%
Minimum Ebitda Ratio On Trailing Twelve Month Basis If Excess Availability Is Less Than 20000 Thousand								100,000
Excess availability in credit facility threshold								20,000
Capital expenditure requirement, maximum carryover amount								2,500
Maximum Capital Expenditures Allowed Before Maximum Carryover Amount of 2500 Thousand								15,000
Debt amount											5,600									415,000		43,222				43,222		43,222
Long-term debt	530,643		530,643		544,200			6,153	21,472	4,253	4,425	5,689								414,542	414,409	7,038	[1]			7,038	[1]	7,038	[1]		16,052	[1]
Periodic payment amount										25
Total periodic payments over the term of the loan										885
Outstanding principal after total future periodic payments										3,540
Line of Credit Facility amount outstanding						10,406
Line of Credit Facility remaining borrowing capacity						39,594
Interest Rate																				11.00%
Proceeds from private placement debt offering																75,000	165,000	85,000	90,000
Mandatory Redemption, Settlement Term, Percent of Principal Redeemed																																			10.00%
Debt Held By Third Party Who Had 10 Percent Mandatorily Redeemed																																		7
Debt subject to mandatory redemption, share value settlement																																			11,000
Convertible debt effective interest rate																												3.875%
Acceleration of interest expense related to debt conversion	(7,072)	0	(14,960)	(1,217)									(7,072)	(14,960)	(1,217)											(7,072)		(14,960)		(1,217)
Converted debt, original debt amount																						24,406		31,370	2					11,000
Induced conversion of convertible debt expense																												$ 55,778					$ 10,993
Converted debt instrument, shares issued																						1,597,290		2,053,065	131					719,256

[1] The fair value of the derivatives embedded within the 6.75% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Note ($13,951 at September 30, 2012 and $16,929 at December 31, 2011, respectively), the 6.75% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Exchange Notes ($26,446 at September 30, 2012 and $32,086 at December 31, 2011, respectively), and the 3.875% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Debentures ($47,069 at September 30, 2012 and $84,485 at December 31, 2011, respectively) is separately classified as a derivative liability in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.