Contingencies (Engle Progeny Judgments Schedule) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Apr. 30, 2017	Nov. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2018
Liggett
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages accrued, paid or compromised				$ (24,345)
Punitive damages accrued, paid or compromised				(10,800)
Liggett | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				24,505
Punitive damages awarded				10,800
Liggett | Litigation Accruals
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				160
Punitive damages awarded				0
Liggett | Lukacs v. R.J. Reynolds | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				12,418
Punitive damages awarded				0
Liggett | Campbell v R J Reynolds | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				156
Punitive damages awarded				0
Liggett | Douglas v R J Reynolds | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				1,350
Punitive damages awarded				0
Liggett | Clay v R J Reynolds | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				349
Punitive damages awarded				1,000
Liggett | Putney v R J Reynolds | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				17
Punitive damages awarded				0
Liggett | Tullo v R J Reynolds | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				225
Punitive damages awarded				0
Liggett | Ward v R J Reynolds | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				1
Punitive damages awarded				0
Liggett | Calloway v RJ Reynolds | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				0
Punitive damages awarded				0
Liggett | Buchanan v. R.J. Reynolds | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				2,750
Punitive damages awarded				0
Liggett | Cohen v. R.J. Reynolds | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				0
Punitive damages awarded				0
Liggett | Rizzuto v. R.J. Reynolds
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Amount of litigation settlement awarded to other party				1,500
Liggett | Rizzuto v. R.J. Reynolds | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				3,479
Punitive damages awarded				0
Liggett | Irimi v. R.J. Reynolds | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				0
Punitive damages awarded				0
Liggett | Lambert v. R.J. Reynolds | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				3,600
Punitive damages awarded				9,500
Liggett | Boatright v. R.J. Reynolds
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded			$ 12,750
Punitive damages awarded			$ 300
Liggett | Boatright v. R.J. Reynolds | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				0
Punitive damages awarded				300
Liggett | Caprio v. R.J. Reynolds | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				0
Punitive damages awarded				0
Liggett | Santoro v. R.J. Reynolds
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded		$ 1,027
Punitive damages awarded		$ 15
Amount of litigation settlement awarded to other party	$ 1,605
Liggett | Santoro v. R.J. Reynolds | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded				160
Punitive damages awarded				0
RJ Reynolds | Boatright v. R.J. Reynolds
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Apportioned fault percentage to plaintiff			15.00%
R.J. Reynolds, Phillip Morris, Lorillard, and Liggett | Calloway v RJ Reynolds
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded				$ 16,100
Phillip Morris | Boatright v. R.J. Reynolds
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded			$ 15,000
Apportioned fault percentage to defendant			85.00%
Bonds | Liggett | Santoro v. R.J. Reynolds
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Security posted for appeal of judgment	$ 535