Contingencies Individual Actions (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified		1 Months Ended	2 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	50 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended									1 Months Ended													3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013 Liggett [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Ferlanti v Liggett Group [Member] Liggett [Member]	Feb. 28, 2009 Ferlanti v Liggett Group [Member] Liggett [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Ferlanti v Liggett Group [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Non-Engle Progency Cases [Member] Liggett [Member] cases	Jul. 31, 2000 Engle Progeny Cases [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Engle Progeny Cases [Member] Liggett [Member] cases plaintiffs	Mar. 31, 2013 Engle Progeny Cases [Member] Liggett [Member] cases plaintiffs	Mar. 31, 2013 Federal Cases [Member] Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2013 State Cases [Member] Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2013 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]	Mar. 31, 2013 Lukacs case [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Campbell v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Douglas v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Clay v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Putney v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Tullo v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Ward v R J Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Calloway v RJ Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Buchanan v. R.J. Reynolds [Member] Liggett [Member]	May 31, 2003 Engle Case Class Action [Member] Liggett [Member] plaintiffs cases	Jul. 31, 2000 Engle Case Class Action [Member] Liggett [Member]	Apr. 30, 2000 Engle Case Class Action [Member] Liggett [Member] plaintiffs	Mar. 31, 2013 Engle Case Class Action [Member] Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2013 West Virginia State Court Cases [Member] Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2013 FLORIDA Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2013 NEW YORK Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2013 MARYLAND Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2013 LOUISIANA Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2013 WEST VIRGINIA Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2013 MISSOURI Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2013 OHIO Liggett [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2013 Liggett Only Cases [Member] cases	Mar. 31, 2013 Minimum [Member] Engle Progency Cases Excluding Lukacs [Member] Liggett [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Maximum [Member] Engle Progency Cases Excluding Lukacs [Member] Liggett [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending					69		4,523	4,523	1,466	3,057																	13	100	46	9	7	3	2	1	1	6
Settlements of litigation							125				12
Defense Verdicts											4													2
Damages awarded			$ 816			$ 145,000,000	$ 1,109						$ 24,835	$ 37,500	$ 12,418	$ 156	$ 1,350	$ 349	$ 3,008	$ 225	$ 1	$ 1,947	$ 2,035		$ 790,000	$ 12,704											$ 1	$ 3,008
Cases including punitive damages											2
Punitive damages																		1,000				7,600
Number of State Cases Tried to Verdict								74
Number of Federal Cases Tried to Verdict								12
Cases with adverse verdicts							6
Minimum loss exposure							40,000	40,000			0
Maximum loss exposure	36,200						85,000	85,000			16,166
Number of plaintiffs																										3
Plaintiffs Verdicts											8													1
Over turned judgment																								5,831
Number of plaintiffs in cases							5,712	5,712
Percent responsible for damages incurred by plaintiff														50.00%
Judgment entered																					487	16,100	5,500
Period between trial and final verdict														5 years
Number of Cases Set for Trial																																				2
Gain (loss) related to litigation settlement												(14,361)
Litigation Settlement		(1,231)
Previously accrued expense				$ 2,000
Claims scheduled for trial							30	30