Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Balance Sheets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2018	Jan. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 281,986		$ 301,353
Investment securities at fair value	138,816		150,489
Accounts receivable - trade, net	23,321	$ 33,995	29,481
Intercompany receivables	0		0
Inventories	91,185		89,790
Income taxes receivable, net	3,576		11,217
Restricted assets	4,480		10,258
Other current assets	28,320	24,269	21,121
Total current assets	571,684	621,371	613,709
Property, plant and equipment, net	85,478		85,516
Investments in real estate, net	24,228		23,952
Long-term investments ($71,019 and $0 carried at fair value)	87,608		81,291
Long-term investments, fair value	71,019		0
Investments in real estate ventures	181,011		188,131
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Restricted assets	7,001		3,488
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	267,286		267,708
Prepaid pension costs	28,077		27,697
Other assets	46,749	40,526	36,786
Total assets	1,299,122	1,339,680	1,328,278
Current liabilities:
Current portion of notes payable and long-term debt	196,464		33,820
Current portion of fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	25,061		0
Current portion of employee benefits	952		952
Intercompany payables	0		0
Income taxes payable, net	102		100
Litigation accruals and current payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	50,351		12,644
Other current liabilities	131,407	167,454	157,123
Total current liabilities	404,337	214,970	204,639
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion	1,045,433		1,194,244
Fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	40,785		76,413
Non-current employee benefits	62,392		62,242
Deferred income taxes, net	48,421	53,584	58,801
Other liabilities, primarily litigation accruals and payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	91,973		63,699
Total liabilities	1,693,341	1,693,135	1,660,038
Commitments and contingencies (Note 8)
Total Vector Group Ltd. stockholders' deficiency	(464,916)	(427,699)	(413,919)
Non-controlling interest	70,697	74,244	82,159
Total stockholders' deficiency	(394,219)	(353,455)	(331,760)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	1,299,122	$ 1,339,680	1,328,278
Consolidating Adjustments
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Investment securities at fair value	0		0
Accounts receivable - trade, net	0		0
Intercompany receivables	(32,563)		(29,541)
Inventories	0		0
Income taxes receivable, net	(9,562)		(11,444)
Restricted assets	0		0
Other current assets	0		(20,008)
Total current assets	(42,125)		(60,993)
Property, plant and equipment, net	0		0
Investments in real estate, net	0		0
Long-term investments ($71,019 and $0 carried at fair value)	0		0
Investments in real estate ventures	0		0
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	(447,686)		(469,436)
Restricted assets	0		0
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	0		0
Prepaid pension costs	0		0
Other assets	0		0
Total assets	(489,811)		(530,429)
Current liabilities:
Current portion of notes payable and long-term debt	0		(20,008)
Current portion of fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0
Current portion of employee benefits	0		0
Intercompany payables	(32,563)		(29,541)
Income taxes payable, net	(9,562)		(11,444)
Litigation accruals and current payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	0		0
Other current liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	(42,125)		(60,993)
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion	0		0
Fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0		0
Non-current employee benefits	0		0
Deferred income taxes, net	0		0
Other liabilities, primarily litigation accruals and payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	0		0
Total liabilities	(42,125)		(60,993)
Commitments and contingencies (Note 8)
Total Vector Group Ltd. stockholders' deficiency	(447,686)		(469,436)
Non-controlling interest	0		0
Total stockholders' deficiency	(447,686)		(469,436)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	(489,811)		(530,429)
Parent/Issuer | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	182,150		194,719
Investment securities at fair value	114,015		121,282
Accounts receivable - trade, net	0		0
Intercompany receivables	32,563		29,541
Inventories	0		0
Income taxes receivable, net	11,237		22,661
Restricted assets	0		0
Other current assets	527		20,549
Total current assets	340,492		388,752
Property, plant and equipment, net	642		696
Investments in real estate, net	0		0
Long-term investments ($71,019 and $0 carried at fair value)	87,608		81,291
Investments in real estate ventures	0		0
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	447,686		469,436
Restricted assets	1,505		1,501
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	0		0
Prepaid pension costs	0		0
Other assets	12,832		7,843
Total assets	890,765		949,519
Current liabilities:
Current portion of notes payable and long-term debt	169,135		0
Current portion of fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	25,061
Current portion of employee benefits	0		0
Intercompany payables	0		0
Income taxes payable, net	0		0
Litigation accruals and current payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	0		0
Other current liabilities	31,987		49,088
Total current liabilities	226,183		49,088
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion	1,042,071		1,190,333
Fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	40,785		76,413
Non-current employee benefits	45,872		45,442
Deferred income taxes, net	(711)		695
Other liabilities, primarily litigation accruals and payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	1,481		1,467
Total liabilities	1,355,681		1,363,438
Commitments and contingencies (Note 8)
Total Vector Group Ltd. stockholders' deficiency	(464,916)		(413,919)
Non-controlling interest	0		0
Total stockholders' deficiency	(464,916)		(413,919)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	890,765		949,519
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	26,830		17,141
Investment securities at fair value	24,801		29,207
Accounts receivable - trade, net	9,701		15,736
Intercompany receivables	0		0
Inventories	91,185		89,790
Income taxes receivable, net	0		0
Restricted assets	992		3,052
Other current assets	6,059		3,429
Total current assets	159,568		158,355
Property, plant and equipment, net	41,194		42,493
Investments in real estate, net	0		0
Long-term investments ($71,019 and $0 carried at fair value)	0		0
Investments in real estate ventures	0		0
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Restricted assets	1,516		1,987
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	107,511		107,511
Prepaid pension costs	28,077		27,697
Other assets	12,529		12,355
Total assets	350,395		350,398
Current liabilities:
Current portion of notes payable and long-term debt	27,006		53,540
Current portion of fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0
Current portion of employee benefits	952		952
Intercompany payables	762		449
Income taxes payable, net	9,664		11,542
Litigation accruals and current payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	50,351		12,644
Other current liabilities	54,956		62,353
Total current liabilities	143,691		141,480
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion	3,002		3,448
Fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0		0
Non-current employee benefits	16,520		16,800
Deferred income taxes, net	24,244		26,459
Other liabilities, primarily litigation accruals and payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	38,688		41,315
Total liabilities	226,145		229,502
Commitments and contingencies (Note 8)
Total Vector Group Ltd. stockholders' deficiency	124,250		120,896
Non-controlling interest	0		0
Total stockholders' deficiency	124,250		120,896
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	350,395		350,398
Subsidiary Non-Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	73,006		89,493
Investment securities at fair value	0		0
Accounts receivable - trade, net	13,620		13,745
Intercompany receivables	0		0
Inventories	0		0
Income taxes receivable, net	1,901		0
Restricted assets	3,488		7,206
Other current assets	21,734		17,151
Total current assets	113,749		127,595
Property, plant and equipment, net	43,642		42,327
Investments in real estate, net	24,228		23,952
Long-term investments ($71,019 and $0 carried at fair value)	0		0
Investments in real estate ventures	181,011		188,131
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Restricted assets	3,980		0
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	159,775		160,197
Prepaid pension costs	0		0
Other assets	21,388		16,588
Total assets	547,773		558,790
Current liabilities:
Current portion of notes payable and long-term debt	323		288
Current portion of fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0
Current portion of employee benefits	0		0
Intercompany payables	31,801		29,092
Income taxes payable, net	0		2
Litigation accruals and current payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	0		0
Other current liabilities	44,464		45,682
Total current liabilities	76,588		75,064
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion	360		463
Fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0		0
Non-current employee benefits	0		0
Deferred income taxes, net	24,888		31,647
Other liabilities, primarily litigation accruals and payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	51,804		20,917
Total liabilities	153,640		128,091
Commitments and contingencies (Note 8)
Total Vector Group Ltd. stockholders' deficiency	323,436		348,540
Non-controlling interest	70,697		82,159
Total stockholders' deficiency	394,133		430,699
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	$ 547,773		$ 558,790