Notes Payable, Long-Term Debt and Other Obligations (Details) - USD ($)			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Feb. 26, 2017	Jan. 27, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations			$ 1,212,313,000		$ 1,212,313,000		$ 1,203,249,000
Less: Debt issuance costs			(27,971,000)		(27,971,000)		(30,798,000)
Total notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations			1,184,342,000		1,184,342,000		1,172,451,000
Less: Current maturities			(8,432,000)		(8,432,000)		(39,508,000)
Amount due after one year			1,175,910,000		1,175,910,000		1,132,943,000
Fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt			86,190,000		86,190,000		112,332,000
Issuance of common stock (in shares)		2,100,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt			0	$ 0	34,110,000	$ 0
Non-cash in charges			0	$ 0	1,754,000	$ 0
Senior Notes | 7.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2021, including premium of $13,954
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations			$ 0		$ 0		848,954,000
Premium							13,954,000
Interest rate			7.75%		7.75%
Amount of debt repurchased	$ 835,000,000
Redemption price	103.875%
Loss on extinguishment of debt					$ 34,110,000
Redemption premium and tender offer costs					32,356,000
Non-cash in charges					1,754,000
Senior Notes | 6.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations			$ 850,000,000		$ 850,000,000		0
Interest rate		6.125%
Principal amount		$ 850,000,000
Redemption price					101.00%
Net proceeds from issuance of debt		$ 831,100,000
Indenture threshold for earnings for payment of dividends (less than)			75,000,000		$ 75,000,000
Leverage ratio requirement					3.0
Secured leverage ratio requirement					1.5
Convertible Debt | 7.5% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Notes due 2019, net of unamortized discount of $80,962 and $108,480
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations			149,038,000		$ 149,038,000		121,520,000
Unamortized discount			$ 80,962,000		$ 80,962,000		108,480,000
Interest rate			7.50%		7.50%
Fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt			$ 36,883,000		$ 36,883,000		52,899,000
Convertible Debt | 5.5% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Debentures due 2020, net of unamortized discount of $58,308 and $71,247
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations			200,442,000		200,442,000		187,503,000
Unamortized discount			$ 58,308,000		$ 58,308,000		71,247,000
Interest rate			5.50%		5.50%
Fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt			$ 49,307,000		$ 49,307,000		59,433,000
Line of Credit | Liggett
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount outstanding			8,812,000		8,812,000
Remaining borrowing capacity			44,300,000		44,300,000
Line of Credit | Revolving credit facility | Liggett
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations			6,034,000		6,034,000		37,163,000
Line of Credit | Term loan under credit facility | Liggett
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations			2,778,000		2,778,000		2,999,000
Equipment loans | Liggett
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations			3,070,000		3,070,000		4,519,000
Other
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations			$ 951,000		$ 951,000		$ 591,000