Notes Payable, Long Term Debt and Other Obligations - Textuals (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended														12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended				0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended					12 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013 6.75% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Note Due 2014	Dec. 31, 2012 6.75% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Note Due 2014	May 11, 2009 6.75% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Note Due 2014	Dec. 31, 2013 Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Variable Interest 6.75% Senior Convertible Exchange Notes 2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Variable Interest 6.75% Senior Convertible Exchange Notes 2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Variable Interest 7.5% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Variable Interest 7.5% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Secured Debt [Member] 11% Senior Secured Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Secured Debt [Member] 11% Senior Secured Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Convertible Debt [Member]	May 11, 2009 Convertible Debt [Member] 5% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Notes due November 15, 2011 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Convertible Debt [Member] 5% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Notes due November 15, 2011 [Member]	Nov. 30, 2009 Convertible Debt [Member] 5% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Notes due November 15, 2011 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2009 Convertible Debt [Member] 5% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Notes due November 15, 2011 [Member]	May 11, 2009 Convertible Debt [Member] 6.75% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Note Due 2014	Dec. 31, 2013 Convertible Debt [Member] 6.75% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Note Due 2014	Jul. 31, 2006 Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Jun. 15, 2011 Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 6.75% Senior Convertible Exchange Notes 2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 6.75% Senior Convertible Exchange Notes 2014 [Member]	Nov. 30, 2009 Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 6.75% Senior Convertible Exchange Notes 2014 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2009 Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 6.75% Senior Convertible Exchange Notes 2014 [Member]	Nov. 30, 2012 Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 7.5% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 7.5% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Nov. 04, 2011 Executive Vice President [Member]	May 11, 2009 Executive Vice President [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] 6.75% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Note Due 2014	Nov. 30, 2012 Jefferies & Company Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Vector [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Vector [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Vector [Member]	Feb. 12, 2013 Vector [Member] Secured Debt [Member] 11% Senior Secured Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Vector [Member] Secured Debt [Member] 11% Senior Secured Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Mar. 14, 2013 Vector [Member] Secured Debt [Member] 11% Senior Secured Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Feb. 13, 2013 Vector [Member] Secured Debt [Member] 11% Senior Secured Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Vector [Member] Secured Debt [Member] 11% Senior Secured Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Feb. 28, 2013 Vector [Member] Secured Debt [Member] 7.75% Senior Secured Notes Due 2021 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Vector [Member] Secured Debt [Member] 7.75% Senior Secured Notes Due 2021 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Vector [Member] Secured Debt [Member] 7.75% Senior Secured Notes Due 2021 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] 6.75% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Note Due 2014	Dec. 31, 2012 Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] 6.75% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Note Due 2014	Dec. 31, 2013 Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 3.875% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Nov. 30, 2013 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]	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]	Dec. 31, 2013 Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 6.75% Senior Convertible Exchange Notes 2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 6.75% Senior Convertible Exchange Notes 2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 7.5% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Vector [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Variable Interest 7.5% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Liggett [Member] Financing Agreements [Member] Four Financing Arrangements [Member] financingagreements	Dec. 31, 2012 Liggett [Member] Financing Agreements [Member] Four Financing Arrangements [Member] financingagreements	Dec. 31, 2013 Liggett [Member] Financing Agreements [Member] Three Financing Arrangements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Liggett [Member] Financing Agreements [Member] Three Financing Arrangements [Member] financingagreements	Dec. 31, 2013 Liggett [Member] Refinanced Financing Agreements [Member] Financing Arrangement 5 Point 96 Percent [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Liggett [Member] Refinanced Financing Agreements [Member] Financing Arrangement 5 Point 96 Percent [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Liggett [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Term Loan Under Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Liggett [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Term Loan Under Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Liggett [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Liggett [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Minimum [Member] Liggett [Member] Financing Agreements [Member] Four Financing Arrangements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Minimum [Member] Liggett [Member] Financing Agreements [Member] Four Financing Arrangements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Minimum [Member] Liggett [Member] Financing Agreements [Member] Three Financing Arrangements [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Financing Agreements Entered Into																																																										2	4		3
Interest rate effective percentage				6.75%					6.75%												6.75%		3.875%			6.75%				7.50%	7.50%																	3.875%
Fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	$ 92,934,000	$ 172,128,000		$ 6,607,000	$ 11,682,000		$ 0	$ 39,714,000	$ 12,521,000	$ 22,146,000	$ 92,934,000	$ 98,586,000																							$ 92,934,000	$ 172,128,000
Interest Rate													11.00%	7.75%			5.00%																										7.75%																			3.28%	5.96%					4.99%	4.72%	5.33%
Face amount						50,000,000							415,000,000	450,000,000																										78,685,000										43,222,000	24,406,000	31,370,000	2,000
Convertible Preferred Stock, Shares Issued upon Conversion																																																		2,970,168	1,597,290	2,053,065	131
Proceeds from private placement debt offering																				38,225,000
Subsidiary Guarantors, Percentage Ownership	100.00%																																										100.00%
Principal Amount Of Debt Sold																11,005,000						110,000,000								230,000,000													450,000,000
Proceeds from issuance of debt	457,767,000	244,075,000	6,419,000																											218,900,000					450,000,000	230,000,000	0						438,250,000
Repayments of Long-term Debt																																						336,315,000	17,820,000
Accelerated Interest Expense on Senior Convertible Debentures Mandatorily Redeemed Conversion																																							3,638,000
Debt instrument, premium percentage																		107.00%																				104.292%
Debt Redemption Price as a Percentage of Principal Amount																																									103.667%		107.75%
Mandatory Redemption Percent In Event Of Change In Control																																											101.00%
Maximum Term to Consummate Registered Exchange Offer																																											360 days
Indenture Threshold for Earnings for Payment of Dividends																																											75,000,000
Leverage Ratio Requirement																																											3.0
Secured Leverage Ratio Requirement																																											1.5
Term Before Record Date to Determine Additional Interest															3 years
Debt Conversion, Original Debt, Interest Rate of Debt																				3.75%						5.75%	3.75%			2.50%
Period for Prior Cash Dividend Paids																					3 months
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Price																					$ 11.784					$ 13.369				$ 17.62
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Conversion of Convertible Securities																					84.8591					74.7982				56.7568
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Basis Amount																					1,000									1,000,000
Debt Instrument, Percent of Principal																					100.00%									100.00%													35.00%
Stock Ownership In Company Percentage																																16.70%	11.70%
Principal Amount of Debt Held By Third Party																		555,000	99,944,000									593,000	106,940,000
Mandatory Redemption, Settlement Term, Percent of Principal Redeemed																									10.00%
Debt Conversion, Original Debt, Amount																							11,000,000
Debt Held By Third Party Who Had 10 Percent Mandatorily Redeemed																							7,000
Debt Conversion, Converted Instrument, Shares Issued																							755,218
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(21,458,000)	0	0																				(1,217,000)												(21,458,000)				(21,458,000)
Debt Conversion, Converted Instrument, Amount																							10,993,000
Acceleration of interest expense related to debt conversion	12,414,000	14,960,000	1,217,000																																12,414,000	14,960,000	1,217,000											12,414,000	14,960,000
Own-share Lending Arrangement, Shares, Issued																																		6,419,700
Own-share Lending Arrangement, Nominal Lending Fee Per Share																																		$ 0.10
Own-share Lending Arrangement, Shares, Outstanding, Value																																		3,204,000
Own-share Lending Arrangement, Shares Returned																																		3,209,850
Own-share Lending Arrangement, Shares, Outstanding																																		3,209,850
Own-share Lending Arrangement, Amount Amoritized																																		118,000
Debt Reclassified from Debt to Equity																								55,778,000																								43,222,000	43,222,000
Long-term Debt, Gross	893,418,000
Monthly Repayments Of Long Term Debt																																																												181,000	145,000
Long-term Debt	$ 692,343,000	$ 623,724,000																																					$ 0			$ 414,592,000		$ 450,000,000	$ 0	$ 30,689,000	$ 19,617,000	$ 0	$ 7,115,000					$ 81,586,000	$ 62,492,000	$ 74,183,000	$ 68,205,000		$ 5,040,000		$ 6,342,000	$ 6,580,000	$ 4,452,000	$ 3,884,000	$ 4,179,000	$ 30,424,000	$ 29,430,000
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate																																																											5.20%		5.66%	4.66%	5.89%