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Contingencies (Overview of Altria Group, Inc. and/or PM USA Tobacco-Related Litigation - Schedule Of Pending Cases) (Details) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) case plantiff trial | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) case | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) case | Jan. 29, 2018 case
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Payments made related to litigation | $ | $ 21 | $ 190 | $ 57 |
Individual Smoking And Health Cases [Member] |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of unfavorable verdicts partially or entirely reversed on | 92 | 70 | 65 |
Smoking And Health Class Actions And Aggregated Claims Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of unfavorable verdicts partially or entirely reversed on | 4 | 5 | 5 |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions [Member] |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of unfavorable verdicts partially or entirely reversed on | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Lights Ultra Lights Class Actions [Member] |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of unfavorable verdicts partially or entirely reversed on | 3 | 8 | 11 |
Pending Litigation [Member] | ETS Smoking and Health Case, Flight Attendants [Member] |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of cases | 2,414 |  |  |
West Virginia [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | Smoking And Health Class Actions And Aggregated Claims Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of cases | 30 |  |  |
Number of plaintiffs | plantiff | 30 |  |  |
Number of consolidated trials | trial | 6 |  |  |
West Virginia [Member] | Philip Morris USA [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | Smoking And Health Class Actions And Aggregated Claims Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of cases | 9 |  |  |
Subsequent Event [Member] | Lights Ultra Lights Class Actions [Member] |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of unfavorable verdicts partially or entirely reversed on |  |  |  | 3
Subsequent Event [Member] | Philip Morris USA [Member] | Individual Smoking And Health Cases [Member] |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of cases set for trial |  |  |  | 0

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