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Contingencies Contingencies (Judgments Recorded and Paid) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2014 | Jun. 30, 2014
Loss Contingencies Judgments Recorded and Paid [Line Items] |  |  |
Accrued liability for tobacco and health litigation items at beginning of period | $ 39 us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue | $ 3 us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue |
Loss Contingency Accrual, Provision | 43 us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualProvision | 4 us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualProvision |
Payments for Legal Settlements | (5)us-gaap_PaymentsForLegalSettlements | 0 us-gaap_PaymentsForLegalSettlements |
Accrued liability for tobacco and health litigation items at end of period | 77 us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue | 7 us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue |
Tobacco and Health Judgment [Member] |  |  |
Loss Contingencies Judgments Recorded and Paid [Line Items] |  |  |
Pretax Tobacco and Health charges | 0 mo_PretaxTobaccoAndHealthCharges / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_TobaccoandHealthJudgmentMember | 3 mo_PretaxTobaccoAndHealthCharges / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_TobaccoandHealthJudgmentMember |
Engle Progeny Cases, Federal [Member] |  |  |
Loss Contingencies Judgments Recorded and Paid [Line Items] |  |  |
Loss Contingency Accrual, Provision | 43 us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualProvision / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_EngleProgenyCasesFederalMember | 0 us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualProvision / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_EngleProgenyCasesFederalMember |
Interest Expense [Member] |  |  |
Loss Contingencies Judgments Recorded and Paid [Line Items] |  |  |
Commitments and Contingencies Accrued Interest | 0 mo_CommitmentsandContingenciesAccruedInterest / us-gaap_NatureOfExpenseAxis = us-gaap_InterestExpenseMember | 1 mo_CommitmentsandContingenciesAccruedInterest / us-gaap_NatureOfExpenseAxis = us-gaap_InterestExpenseMember |
Federal Governments Lawsuit [Member] | Health Care Cost Recovery Litigation [Member] |  |  |
Loss Contingencies Judgments Recorded and Paid [Line Items] |  |  |
Loss Contingency Accrual, Provision |  |  | $ 31 us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualProvision / dei_LegalEntityAxis = mo_FederalGovernmentsLawsuitMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_HealthCareCostRecoveryLitigationMember

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- Definition Pretax charges for tobacco and health related litigation recorded during the period presented + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount of loss contingency liability. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349 + Details
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- Definition Amount charged against operating income increasing loss contingency liability, after adjustments to reduce previously estimated charges. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349 + Details
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- Definition The amount of cash paid for the settlement of litigation or for other legal issues during the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 25 -Subparagraph (g) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3536-108585 + Details
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