Notes Payable, Long Term Debt and Other Obligations Liggett Debt and Committments (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified			12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 Liggett [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Liggett [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Liggett [Member] Line of Credit [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Liggett [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Feb. 29, 2012 Liggett [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Liggett [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Liggett [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Revolving Credit and Term Loan Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 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]	Dec. 31, 2010 Liggett [Member] Financing Agreements [Member] Nine Financing Agreements [Member] financingagreements	Dec. 31, 2011 Liggett [Member] Financing Agreements [Member] Three Financing Arrangements [Member] financingagreements	Dec. 31, 2012 Liggett [Member] Financing Agreements [Member] Four Financing Arrangements [Member] financingagreements	Dec. 31, 2010 Liggett [Member] Financing Agreements [Member] Minimum [Member] Nine Financing Agreements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Liggett [Member] Financing Agreements [Member] Minimum [Member] Three Financing Arrangements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Liggett [Member] Financing Agreements [Member] Minimum [Member] Four Financing Arrangements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Liggett [Member] Financing Agreements [Member] Maximum [Member] Nine Financing Agreements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Liggett [Member] Financing Agreements [Member] Maximum [Member] Three Financing Arrangements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Liggett [Member] Financing Agreements [Member] Maximum [Member] Four Financing Arrangements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Liggett [Member] Refinanced Financing Agreements [Member] Financing Arrangement 5 Point 95 Percent [Member] payments	Dec. 31, 2012 Liggett [Member] Refinanced Financing Agreements [Member] Financing Arrangement 5 Point 96 Percent [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Liggett [Member] Wells Fargo Adjusted Eurodollar Rate [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Liggett [Member] Wells Fargo Adjusted Eurodollar Rate [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Term Loan Under Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity			$ 50,000				$ 50,000
Line of Credit, covenant term restriction prior to payment of dividend			30 days
Required minimum borrowning availability 30 days prior to payment of dividend			5,000
Days of notice required to terminate credit facility			30 days
Basis spread on variable rate																								2.00%	1.75%
Credit Facility, Covenant measurement trailing period			12 months
Minimum Ebitda Ratio On Trailing Twelve Month Basis If Excess Availability Is Less Than 20000 Thousand			100,000
Covenant, excess availability in credit facility threshold			20,000
Covenant, Excess Property Value					5,000
Covenant, capital expenditure requirement, maximum carryover amount			2,500
Maximum Capital Expenditures Allowed Before Maximum Carryover Amount of 2500 Thousand			15,000	33,000
Face amount											5,600
Long-term Debt	623,724	544,200				29,430		21,472		4,179	4,425	5,689	16,634	6,342	5,040							3,575	4,452
Periodic Payment										25
Total Periodic Payments Over The Term Of the Loan										885
Outstanding Principal After Total Future Periodic Payments										3,540
Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding									33,609
Availability as determined under the facility									16,391
Financing Agreements Entered Into													9	3	4
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate													5.65%	5.66%	5.20%								5.89%
Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Minimum													5.47%
Interest Rate, Stated Percentage, Maximum													6.13%
Number of months loans are paid over																30 months		36 months	60 months		48 months
Average Number of Months Loans Are Paid Over													36 months										43 months
Interest Rate																	5.33%	4.72%		5.82%	5.56%	5.95%	5.96%
Number of Payments To Satisfy Loan																						36
Monthly Repayments Of Long Term Debt													155	145								109
Additions to property, plant and equipment														6,342	5,040
Term of Loan																							36 months
Monthly Installment Amount																							$ 135