Contingencies Contingencies (MSA Term Sheet Agreement) (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		21 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended					6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended											9 Months Ended
	May 31, 2013 state	Mar. 31, 2013 state	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 state	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member] state	Sep. 30, 2014 Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] 2003 NPM Adjustment Amount [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member]	Jul. 01, 2014 NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] 2013 Transition Year Adjustment [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Indiana/Kentucky [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Indiana/Kentucky [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Indiana/Kentucky [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Indiana/Kentucky [Member] NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Indiana/Kentucky [Member] NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Indiana/Kentucky [Member] NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Indiana/Kentucky [Member] NPM Adjustment to Cost Of Sales [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] 2013 Transition Year Adjustment [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Adjustment Settlement [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Missouri [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Remaining non-diligent states [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Remaining non-diligent states [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Remaining non-diligent states [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Remaining non-diligent states [Member] Smokeable Products [Member] PM USA [Member] 2003 NPM Adjustment Amount [Member] Non-Participating Manufacturer Arbitration Panel Decision [Member] state
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of Non-contested States to the 2003 Diligent Enforcement Claims							14
Number of States Joining Term Sheet	2				24
Number of States Not Joining Settlement		15
States Not Diligently Enforcing Escrow Statutes					6																														4
States Diligently Enforcing Escrow Statute					9
Percentage of Signatory States Allocable Share of OPM Aggregate 2003-2012 NPM Adjustments Reduction of Future MSA Payments					46.00%
Projected Litigation Settlement, Amount															$ 145,000,000									$ 26,000,000	$ 54,000,000									$ 108,000,000
Litigation Settlement Amount Possible Refund to States																															12,000,000
Projected Litigation Settlement Interest Possible Refund to State																															7,000,000
NPM Adjustment Items			0	145,000,000	90,000,000	664,000,000							599,000,000			0	145,000,000	36,000,000	483,000,000	519,000,000	43,000,000	664,000,000	35,000,000				37,000,000	80,000,000	43,000,000	3,000,000		79,000,000
NPM Adjustment Received As A Reduction To MSA payments													579,000,000
Amount Expected To Be Received As A Reduction To MSA payments													20,000,000
Litigation settlement, amount Recovery available if Successful on Appeal																																29,000,000
Appeals Bond Posted By Affiliate														22,000,000
Projected Litigation Settlement Interest									(89,000,000)																								(66,000,000)
Litigation Settlement Interest								0	(64,000,000)	0	(47,000,000)	0													(17,000,000)	17,000,000							(47,000,000)
Projected litigation settlement Interest Reduced Amount																																	(48,000,000)
Projected Litigation Settlement Interest Not recorded									(25,000,000)
Litigation settlement interest Recovery Available if Successful On Appeal																																	(18,000,000)
Earnings before income taxes			$ 2,114,000,000	$ 2,118,000,000	$ 5,865,000,000	$ 6,229,000,000																				$ 26,000,000