Contingencies (Engle Progeny Cases Trial Results Narrative) (Details) (Engle Progeny Cases [Member], USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012
Florida/Hallgren [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, period of occurrence	January 2012
Compensatory damages jury award total excluding interest	$ 2,000,000
Compensatory damages jury award allocation percentage allocated to PM USA	25.00%
Compensatory damages jury award allocation amount	500,000
Punitive damages jury award total against each defendant	750,000
Florida/Allen [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, period of occurrence	April 2011
Compensatory damages jury award total excluding interest	6,000,000
Compensatory damages jury award allocation percentage allocated to PM USA	15.00%
Compensatory damages jury award allocation amount	900,000
Punitive damages reduced award total	2,700,000
Punitive damages jury award total against each defendant	17,000,000
Appeal bond posted by PM USA	1,250,000
Loss contingency, appeal bond date	November 2011
Loss contingency, court reduction date	October 2011
Florida/Tullo [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, period of occurrence	April 2011
Compensatory damages jury award total excluding interest	4,500,000
Compensatory damages jury award allocation percentage allocated to PM USA	45.00%
Compensatory damages jury award allocation amount	2,025,000
Appeal bond posted by PM USA	2,000,000
Loss contingency, appeal bond date	July 2011
Florida/Huish [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, period of occurrence	February 2011
Compensatory damages jury award total excluding interest	750,000
Compensatory damages jury award allocation percentage allocated to PM USA	25.00%
Compensatory damages jury award allocation amount	187,500
Punitive damages jury award allocation amount	1,500,000
Appeal bond posted by PM USA	1,700,000
Loss contingency, appeal bond date	May 2011
Florida/Hatziyannakis [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, period of occurrence	February 2011
Compensatory damages jury award total excluding interest	270,000
Compensatory damages jury award allocation percentage allocated to PM USA	32.00%
Compensatory damages jury award allocation amount	86,000
Appeal bond posted by PM USA	86,000
Loss contingency, appeal bond date	June 2011
Florida/Piendle [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, period of occurrence	August 2010
Compensatory damages jury award total excluding interest	4,000,000
Compensatory damages jury award allocation percentage allocated to PM USA	27.50%
Compensatory damages jury award allocation amount	1,100,000
Punitive damages jury award allocation amount	90,000
Appeal bond posted by PM USA	1,200,000
Loss contingency, appeal bond date	January 2011
Florida/Kayton (Formerly Tate) [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, period of occurrence	July 2010
Compensatory damages jury award total excluding interest	8,000,000
Compensatory damages jury award allocation percentage allocated to PM USA	64.00%
Compensatory damages jury award allocation amount	5,100,000
Punitive damages jury award allocation amount	16,200,000
Appeal bond posted by PM USA	5,000,000
Loss contingency, appeal bond date	August 2010
Florida/Putney [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, period of occurrence	April 2010
Compensatory damages jury award total excluding interest	15,100,000
Compensatory damages jury award allocation percentage allocated to PM USA	15.00%
Compensatory damages jury award allocation amount	2,300,000
Punitive damages jury award allocation amount	2,500,000
Appeal bond posted by PM USA	1,600,000
Loss contingency, appeal bond date	August 2010
Florida/R. Cohen [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, period of occurrence	March 2010
Compensatory damages jury award total excluding interest	10,000,000
Compensatory damages jury award allocation percentage allocated to PM USA	33.33%
Compensatory damages jury award allocation amount	3,300,000
Punitive damages jury award total all defendants	20,000,000
Punitive damages jury award total against each defendant	10,000,000
Appeal bond posted by PM USA	2,500,000
Loss contingency, appeal bond date	October 2010
Florida/Douglas [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, period of occurrence	March 2010
Compensatory damages jury award total excluding interest	5,000,000
Compensatory damages jury award allocation percentage allocated to PM USA	18.00%
Compensatory damages jury award allocation amount	900,000
Appeal bond posted by PM USA	900,000
Loss contingency, appeal bond date	June 2010
Florida/Naugle [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, period of occurrence	November 2009
Compensatory damages jury award total excluding interest	56,600,000
Compensatory damages reduced award total	13,000,000
Compensatory damages reduced amended award total	12,300,000
Compensatory damages jury award allocation percentage allocated to PM USA	90.00%
Punitive damages jury award total all defendants	244,000,000
Punitive damages reduced award total	26,000,000
Punitive damages reduced amended award total	24,500,000
Appeal bond posted by PM USA	5,000,000
Loss contingency, appeal bond date	April 2010
Florida/F. Campbell [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, period of occurrence	August 2009
Compensatory damages jury award total excluding interest	7,800,000
Compensatory damages jury award allocation percentage allocated to PM USA	2.00%
Compensatory damages jury award allocation amount	156,000
Appeal bond posted by PM USA	156,000
Loss contingency, appeal bond date	January 2010
Loss contingency damages recorded costs and interest	245,000
Florida/Barbanell [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, period of occurrence	August 2009
Compensatory damages jury award total excluding interest	5,300,000
Compensatory damages jury award allocation percentage allocated to PM USA	36.50%
Compensatory damages jury award allocation amount	1,950,000
Appeal bond posted by PM USA	1,950,000
Loss contingency, appeal bond date	September 2009
Loss contingency, reversal of judgment date	February 22, 2012
Florida/Hess [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, period of occurrence	February 2009
Compensatory damages jury award total excluding interest	3,000,000
Compensatory damages jury award allocation percentage allocated to PM USA	42.00%
Compensatory damages jury award allocation amount	1,260,000
Punitive damages jury award allocation amount	5,000,000
Florida/Weingart [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, period of occurrence	July 2011
Compensatory damages jury award total excluding interest	0
Additur damages imposed by trial court	150,000
Compensatory damages jury award allocation percentage allocated to PM USA	3.00%
Appeal bond posted by PM USA	48,000
Loss contingency, damages allocated	$ 4,500