Contingencies (Class Actions, Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, and Upcoming Trials) (Details) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended					12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2015 plaintiff case claims	Oct. 31, 2013 case	May 31, 2013 case	May 31, 2009	Jul. 31, 1999 plaintiff	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) defendant case	Dec. 31, 2001 case
Parsons v. AC & S Inc.
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages sought | $						$ 1,000
Number of defendants in bankruptcy | defendant						3
Department of Justice Lawsuit
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Required reporting period				10 years
Engle Progeny Cases
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of plaintiffs | plaintiff					3
Pending claims scheduled for trial						6
Individual Actions Cases
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases)						35
Pending claims scheduled for trial						1
Liggett
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases)						3
Liggett | Class Actions
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases)						3
Liggett | Crow Creek Sioux Tribe v. American Tobacco Company
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases)						1
Liggett | Engle Progeny Cases
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Claims dismissed		4,900
Liggett and Vector Tobacco | Engle Progeny Cases
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases)						125
West Virginia | Tobacco Litigation Personal Injury Cases
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases)							750
Number of mistrials			2
Claims dismissed			1
Number of plaintiffs	30
Number of consolidated trials | claims	6
Number of plaintiffs in each trial | plaintiff	5
West Virginia | Liggett | Tobacco Litigation Personal Injury Cases
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases)						90
West Virginia | Liggett | Individual Actions Cases
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cases pending (in cases)						2