Contingencies (Details)		1 Months Ended											3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended					25 Months Ended	78 Months Ended
	May. 15, 2013 case	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2013 USD ($) case	May. 31, 2013 state	Dec. 31, 2012 state	Mar. 31, 2012 case	Jun. 30, 2010 person	May. 31, 2009	May. 31, 2003 USD ($) plaintiff	Jul. 31, 2000 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2000 USD ($) plaintiff	Nov. 30, 1998 state	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) case	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) case defendant sponsorship	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 USD ($) yr	Dec. 31, 2003 USD ($) state	Mar. 31, 1998 state	Sep. 30, 2012 state	Jul. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 13, 2015 case plaintiff claims	Apr. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($) state	Nov. 30, 2011 state	Jun. 30, 2009 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2001 case
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation, settlement and judgment expense															$ 20,072,000	$ 2,475,000	$ 88,106,000
Liggett Only Cases [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases) | case													3		3
Master Settlement Agreement [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Brand Name Sponsorship Period															12 months
Master Settlement Agreement [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of brand name sponsorships allowed | sponsorship															1
Damages From Cigarette Smoking MSA and Other State Settlement Agreements [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Annual payment requirement															$ 9,000,000,000
MSA 2015 Obligation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Previously accrued expense													$ 120,700,000		$ 120,700,000
NPM Adjustment [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Amounts not expensed by the Company																			$ 1,200,000,000
Loss Contingency, Aggregate Number of Settling States | state																					49
Courts that decided the issue | state																			48
Courts That Did Not Rule | state																			1
Settling States | state				2	20														45
Allocable Share of Settling States																			90.00%
Percentage of Reduction of any Potential 2003 NPM Adjustment																			20.00%
Number of People on Arbitration Panel | person							3
Loss Contingency, Number of Settling States With Diligent Enforcement Not Contested | state																												16
Combined Allocable Share, Diligent Enforcement not Contested							14.00%
Loss Contingency, Number of Non-Settling States | state																											15
Loss Contingency, Number of Non-Settling States that Did not Diligently Enforce Escrow Statutes | state																											6
Additional Synergy Exposure Cases [Member] | Maryland
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases) | case													20		20
Department of Justice Lawsuit [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Required Reporting Period								10 years
Engle Progeny Cases [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Number of Cases Declined for Review by Supreme Court | case						2
Engle Case Class Action [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded										$ 145,000,000,000
Parsons v. AC & S Inc. [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Number of Defendants | defendant															3
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value															$ 1,000,000
Tobacco Litigation Personal Injury Cases [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases) | case													25		25								30							750
Loss Contingency, Claims Scheduled For Trial | claims																							6
Number of Plaintiffs in Each Trial | plaintiff																							5
Tobacco Litigation Personal Injury Cases [Member] | Cases Ending in Mistrial [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Claims Dismissed, Number | case	2
Loss Contingency, Claims Settled, Number | case	1
Liggett [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Bonds													$ 15,767,000		$ 15,767,000
Damages awarded															29,102,000
Punitive Damages Awarded															18,400,000
Plaintiff legal fees															26,987,000	$ 9,944,000	9,321,000
Litigation Award Paid															(17,978,000)
Punitive Damages Paid															$ (1,000,000)
Liggett [Member] | Florida
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases) | case													15		15
Liggett [Member] | New York
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases) | case													7		7
Liggett [Member] | Maryland
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases) | case													12		12
Liggett [Member] | Louisiana
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases) | case													2		2
Liggett [Member] | West Virginia
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases) | case													2		2
Liggett [Member] | Missouri
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases) | case													1		1
Liggett [Member] | Ohio
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases) | case													1		1
Liggett [Member] | Individual Actions [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases) | case													40		40
Liggett [Member] | Engle Progeny Cases [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Plaintiffs' verdicts (in cases) | case													15		15
Liggett [Member] | State Cases [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases) | case													260		260
Liggett [Member] | Engle Progency Cases Excluding Lukacs [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases including punitive damages (in cases) | case															4
Liggett [Member] | Class Actions [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases) | case													3		3
Liggett [Member] | Master Settlement Agreement [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Number of States Not Included in Settlement Agreement | state												4
Liggett [Member] | Health Care Cost Recovery Actions [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases) | case													1		1
Liggett [Member] | Damages From Cigarette Smoking MSA and Other State Settlement Agreements [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
MSA Payment Obligations													$ 0		$ 0
Payment obligations													1.65%		1.65%
Number of States | state												46								45
Liggett [Member] | NPM Adjustment [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Settlement Adjustment Credit													$ 834,000		$ 834,000										$ 1,400,000	$ 6,441,000	$ 5,987,000
Loss Contingency, Settlement Adjustment Credit, Disputed Entitled Amount																										1,315,000
Loss Contingency Possible Loss Additional Amount, Adjusted																										521,000
Loss Contingency, Net Recovery																										5,152,000
Liggett [Member] | Gross Versus Net Dispute [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Previously accrued expense													$ 6,200,000		$ 6,200,000							$ 16,000,000
Payment obligations													1.25%		1.25%
Liggett [Member] | Minnesota Settlement [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Annual payment requirement																			$ 100,000
Liggett [Member] | Florida Settlement [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded																		$ 1,200,000
Annual payment requirement																		$ 250,000
Years Annual Payments Required | yr																		21
Liggett [Member] | Florida Settlement [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Years Annual Payments Required That Are Subject To Inflation Adjustment | yr																		12
Liggett [Member] | Irimi and Cohen [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Plaintiffs' verdicts (in cases) | case													2		2
Liggett [Member] | Lukacs, Campbell, Douglas, Clay, Ward and Rizzuto [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Payments for Legal Settlements															$ 20,312,000
Settlements / dismissal of litigation | case															7
Liggett [Member] | Irimi v. R.J. Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															$ 31,000
Punitive Damages Awarded															0
Liggett [Member] | Rizzuto v. R.J. Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															3,479,000
Punitive Damages Awarded															0
Liggett [Member] | Cohen v. R.J. Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															205,000
Punitive Damages Awarded															0
Liggett [Member] | Buchanan v. R.J. Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															2,750,000
Punitive Damages Awarded															0
Liggett [Member] | Buchanan v. R.J. Reynolds [Member] | Joint and Several Judgment [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															5,500,000
Liggett [Member] | Calloway v RJ Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															1,530,000
Punitive Damages Awarded															7,600,000
Liggett [Member] | Calloway v RJ Reynolds [Member] | Joint and Several Judgment [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															16,100,000
Liggett [Member] | Ward v R J Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															1,000
Punitive Damages Awarded															0
Liggett [Member] | Tullo v R J Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															225,000
Punitive Damages Awarded															0
Liggett [Member] | Putney v R J Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															3,008,000
Punitive Damages Awarded															0
Liggett [Member] | Clay v R J Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															349,000
Punitive Damages Awarded															1,000,000
Liggett [Member] | Douglas v R J Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															1,350,000
Punitive Damages Awarded															0
Liggett [Member] | Campbell v R J Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															156,000
Punitive Damages Awarded															$ 0
Liggett [Member] | Engle Progeny Cases [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Bond cap																													$ 200,000,000
Damages awarded			$ 110,000,000
Settlements / dismissal of litigation | case			4,900												24
Plaintiffs' verdicts (in cases) | case													15		15
Defense verdicts (in cases) | case													9		9
Loss Contingency, Claims Scheduled For Trial | case													7		7
Loss Contingency, Settlement Agreement, Consideration Paid Lump Sum			$ 61,600,000
Loss Contingency, Settlement Agreement, Consideration Installment Payments Term			14 years
Litigation Settlement Expense Amount Discounted			$ 25,213,000
Discount rate			11.00%
Litigation, settlement and judgment expense			$ 86,213,000											$ 643,000
Loss Contingency, Settlement Agreement, Consideration, Paid in Equal Installments over Term			48,000,000
Loss Contingency, Settlement Agreement, Consideration Expected Yearly Next Five Years			$ 3,400,000
Liggett [Member] | Engle Progeny Cases [Member] | Cases Settled without Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															$ 3,612,000
Settlements / dismissal of litigation | case			4,900										3		171
Litigation, settlement and judgment expense																	86,213,000
Liggett [Member] | Engle Progency Cases Excluding Lukacs [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases including punitive damages (in cases) | case															4
Liggett [Member] | Lukacs case [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															$ 12,418,000
Punitive Damages Awarded															0
Liggett [Member] | Lambert v. R.J. Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															3,600,000
Punitive Damages Awarded															9,500,000
Liggett [Member] | Engle Case Class Action [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency Over Turned Judgment									$ 5,831,000
Number of plaintiffs (in plaintiffs) | plaintiff											3
Damages awarded										$ 790,000,000	$ 12,704,000
Plaintiffs' verdicts (in cases) | plaintiff									1
Defense verdicts (in cases) | plaintiff									2
Liggett [Member] | Boatright v. R.J. Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															0
Punitive Damages Awarded															300,000
Liggett [Member] | Putney, Calloway, Cohen, Irimi, Lambert, Boatright and Caprio [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Minimum loss exposure													$ 0		0
Maximum loss exposure													$ 12,674,000		12,674,000
Liggett [Member] | Caprio v. R.J. Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															0
Punitive Damages Awarded															0
Phillip Morris [Member] | Boatright v. R.J. Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															15,000,000
Punitive Damages Awarded															19,700,000
Phillip Morris [Member] | Boatright v. R.J. Reynolds [Member] | Joint and Several Judgment [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															12,750,000
Phillip Morris [Member] | Caprio v. R.J. Reynolds [Member] | Economic Damages [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															$ 559,000
Liggett Only Cases [Member] | Other Individual Actions [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases) | case													2		2
Liggett Only Cases [Member] | Rizzuto v. R.J. Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															$ 1,500,000
Liggett Vector Brands [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Maximum loss exposure													$ 500,000		500,000
Litigation, settlement and judgment expense																	$ 83,000
Vector Tobacco [Member] | Damages From Cigarette Smoking MSA and Other State Settlement Agreements [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
MSA Payment Obligations													$ 0		$ 0
Payment obligations													0.28%		0.28%
Liggett and Vector Tobacco [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Total cigarettes sold													3.30%		3.30%
Liggett and Vector Tobacco [Member] | Damages From Cigarette Smoking MSA and Other State Settlement Agreements [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded		$ 100,000,000
Liggett and Vector Tobacco [Member] | NPM Adjustment [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Previously accrued expense													$ 20,000,000		$ 20,000,000
Gain (loss) related to litigation settlement															5,700,000
Loss Contingency, Settlement Adjustment Credit													6,947,000		6,947,000									$ 1,940,000		$ 1,733,000
Amount Remaining in Disputed Payment Accounts													$ 23,000,000		23,000,000
Pending Litigation [Member] | Liggett [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															11,124,000
Punitive Damages Awarded															17,400,000
Pending Litigation [Member] | Liggett [Member] | Lambert v. R.J. Reynolds [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded															$ 13,100,000