Contingencies (Cautionary Statement About Engle Progeny Cases) (Details) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2013 USD ($) case	Sep. 30, 2016 case	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) case
Engle Progeny Cases
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases with judgments (more than)		100	100
Liggett | Engle Progeny Cases
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases with verdicts		24	24
Cases with verdicts in favor of plaintiffs		15	15
Cases with verdicts in favor of defendants		9	9
Cases with verdicts in favor of plaintiffs and punitive damages awarded		4	4
Cases settled	4,900
Amount of litigation settlement to (against) entity | $	$ (110,000)
Liggett | Irimi and Cohen [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases with verdicts where defendants motion for new trial granted		2	2
Liggett and Vector Tobacco | Engle Progeny Cases
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases settled		0	175
Amount of litigation settlement to (against) entity | $			$ (6,000)