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Contingencies (Trial Results Narrative) (Details) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended | 192 Months Ended | 123 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2014 cases | Dec. 31, 2014 | Jan. 27, 2015 cases
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
NPM Adjustment Items | $ 90,000,000 us-gaap_LitigationSettlementAmount | $ 664,000,000 us-gaap_LitigationSettlementAmount |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Verdicts Reversed |  |  | 1 mo_LitigationVerdictReversed / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_HealthCareCostRecoveryMember |  |
Engle Progeny Cases [Member] | Since October 2004 [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Judgment interest paid aggregate |  |  |  | 2,500,000 mo_JudgmentInterestPaidAggregate / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_EngleProgenyCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceOctober2004Member |
Aggregate judgements related costs and fees |  |  |  | 13,800,000 us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesPaidValue / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_EngleProgenyCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceOctober2004Member |
Non Engle Progeny Cases [Member] | Since January 1999 [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Number of verdicts returned | 56 mo_LossContingencyClaimsDecidedNumber / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_NonEngleProgenyCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceJanuary1999Member |  | 56 mo_LossContingencyClaimsDecidedNumber / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_NonEngleProgenyCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceJanuary1999Member | 56 mo_LossContingencyClaimsDecidedNumber / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_NonEngleProgenyCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceJanuary1999Member |
Verdicts returned in favor of defendants | 38 mo_LossContingencyClaimsDecidedFavorablyNumber / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_NonEngleProgenyCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceJanuary1999Member |  | 38 mo_LossContingencyClaimsDecidedFavorablyNumber / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_NonEngleProgenyCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceJanuary1999Member | 38 mo_LossContingencyClaimsDecidedFavorablyNumber / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_NonEngleProgenyCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceJanuary1999Member |
Verdicts returned in favor of plaintiffs | 18 mo_LossContingencyClaimsDecidedUnfavorablyNumber / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_NonEngleProgenyCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceJanuary1999Member |  | 18 mo_LossContingencyClaimsDecidedUnfavorablyNumber / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_NonEngleProgenyCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceJanuary1999Member | 18 mo_LossContingencyClaimsDecidedUnfavorablyNumber / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_NonEngleProgenyCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceJanuary1999Member |
Cases reaching final resolution | 15 mo_LossContingencyClaimsResolvedNumber / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_NonEngleProgenyCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceJanuary1999Member |  | 15 mo_LossContingencyClaimsResolvedNumber / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_NonEngleProgenyCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceJanuary1999Member | 15 mo_LossContingencyClaimsResolvedNumber / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_NonEngleProgenyCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceJanuary1999Member |
Engle and Non-Engle Cases [Member] | Since October 2004 [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Judgment interest paid aggregate |  |  |  | 144,000,000 mo_JudgmentInterestPaidAggregate / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_EngleAndNonEngleCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceOctober2004Member |
Aggregate judgements related costs and fees |  |  |  | $ 266,000,000 us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesPaidValue / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_EngleAndNonEngleCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceOctober2004Member |
Subsequent Event [Member] | Engle Progeny Cases [Member] | Since January 1999 [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Number of verdicts returned |  |  |  |  | 70 mo_LossContingencyClaimsDecidedNumber / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_EngleProgenyCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceJanuary1999Member / us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis = us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Verdicts returned in favor of defendants |  |  |  |  | 34 mo_LossContingencyClaimsDecidedFavorablyNumber / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_EngleProgenyCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceJanuary1999Member / us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis = us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Verdicts returned in favor of plaintiffs |  |  |  |  | 36 mo_LossContingencyClaimsDecidedUnfavorablyNumber / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_EngleProgenyCasesMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_SinceJanuary1999Member / us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis = us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember

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