STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
Proceeds from stock option exercises	$ 35,239,000	$ 17,098,000
Stock options
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
Award vesting period	3 years
Expiration period	10 years
Compensation expense	10,800,000	12,100,000
Compensation expense, net of tax	7,200,000	8,500,000
Compensation expense, per basic share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.11	$ 0.13
Compensation expense, per diluted share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.11	$ 0.12
Income tax benefit related to compensation expense	3,600,000	3,600,000
Weighted-average fair value of stock options granted (in dollars per share)	$ 10.35	$ 11.36
Fair value of shares vested	12,100,000	11,100,000
Proceeds from stock option exercises	35,200,000	17,100,000
Tax benefit realized for the tax deduction from option exercises	9,000,000	6,300,000
Unrecognized compensation cost expected to be recognized in future periods	10,600,000
Weighted-average period over which compensation cost is expected to be recognized	1 year 6 months
Stock options | Selling, research & development and administrative expenses
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
Compensation expense	9,600,000	11,200,000
Stock Awards Plans | Stock options
Assumptions used to estimate fair value of stock options granted
Dividend Yield (as a percent)	1.80%	1.70%
Expected Stock Price Volatility (as a percent)	22.90%	23.30%
Risk-free Interest Rate (as a percent)	1.30%	2.70%
Expected Life of Option	6 years 10 months 24 days	6 years 10 months 24 days
Stock options activity
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (in shares)	8,345,917
Granted (in shares)	1,245,300
Exercised (in shares)	(1,292,803)
Forfeited or expired (in shares)	(25,321)
Outstanding at the end of the period (in shares)	8,273,093
Exercisable at the end of the period (in shares)	5,792,455
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 32.90
Granted (in dollars per share)	$ 51.81
Exercised (in dollars per share)	$ 25.37
Forfeited or expired (in dollars per share)	$ 44.45
Outstanding at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 36.88
Exercisable at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 32.06
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years):
Outstanding at the end of the period	6 years 1 month 6 days
Exercisable at the end of the period	5 years
Aggregate Intrinsic Value:
Outstanding at the end of the period	122,783,000
Exercisable at the end of the period	113,823,000
Intrinsic Value of Options Exercised	34,674,000	25,475,000
Stock Awards Plans | Restricted stock units
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
Award vesting period	3 years
Compensation expense	438,000	247,000
Unrecognized compensation cost expected to be recognized in future periods	590,000
Weighted-average period over which compensation cost is expected to be recognized	1 year 8 months 12 days
Restricted stock unit activity
Balance at the beginning of the period (in shares)	17,293
Granted (in shares)	17,592
Vested (in shares)	(8,440)
Forfeited (in shares)	(333)
Balance at the end of the period (in shares)	26,112
Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Nonvested at the beginning of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 39.21
Granted (in dollars per share)	$ 52.52
Vested (in dollars per share)	$ 37.47
Forfeited (in dollars per share)	$ 35.08
Nonvested at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 48.79
Fair value of units vested	316,000	346,000
Intrinsic value of units vested	448,000	492,000
Director Stock Option Plans | Stock options
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
Weighted-average fair value of stock options granted (in dollars per share)	$ 10.59	$ 12.00
Assumptions used to estimate fair value of stock options granted
Dividend Yield (as a percent)	1.70%	1.60%
Expected Stock Price Volatility (as a percent)	22.50%	22.90%
Risk-free Interest Rate (as a percent)	1.30%	2.50%
Expected Life of Option	6 years 10 months 24 days	6 years 10 months 24 days
Stock options activity
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (in shares)	270,000
Granted (in shares)	85,500
Exercised (in shares)	(34,500)
Forfeited or expired (in shares)	(9,000)
Outstanding at the end of the period (in shares)	312,000
Exercisable at the end of the period (in shares)	157,167
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 37.98
Granted (in dollars per share)	$ 53.72
Exercised (in dollars per share)	$ 25.67
Forfeited or expired (in dollars per share)	$ 48.02
Outstanding at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 43.37
Exercisable at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 35.55
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years):
Outstanding at the end of the period	7 years 6 months
Exercisable at the end of the period	6 years 1 month 6 days
Aggregate Intrinsic Value:
Outstanding at the end of the period	2,775,000
Exercisable at the end of the period	2,540,000
Intrinsic Value of Options Exercised	$ 937,000	$ 970,000