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Background and Basis of Presentation (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 31 Months Ended |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2018 | Mar. 31, 2019 | Mar. 31, 2018 | Jan. 31, 2018 | Mar. 08, 2019 | Jan. 01, 2019 | May 31, 2018 | Jul. 31, 2017 | Oct. 31, 2016 | Jul. 31, 2015
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) from equity method investments |  | $ 86,000,000 | $ 342,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repurchase of common stock (shares) |  | 2.7 | 8.0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Average price of repurchased shares, per share (usd per share) |  | $ 56.34 | $ 64.33 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
AB InBev [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity method investment, ownership percentage |  | 10.10% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
JUUL [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity securities Fv Ni, ownership percentage | 35.00% | 35.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity securities Fv-Ni, purchase price | $ 12,800,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Related party transaction, services agreement, term | 6 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cronos Group Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity method investment, ownership percentage |  | 45.00% |  |  | 45.00% |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) from equity method investments |  | $ 0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
July 2015 Share Repurchase Program [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Planned share repurchase program |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 4,000,000,000.0 | $ 3,000,000,000.0 | $ 1,000,000,000.0
Repurchase of common stock (shares) |  |  |  | 58.7 |  |  |  |  |  |
Average price of repurchased shares, per share (usd per share) |  |  |  | $ 68.15 |  |  |  |  |  |
January 2018 Share Repurchase Program [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Planned share repurchase program |  |  |  | $ 1,000,000,000.0 |  |  | $ 2,000,000,000.0 |  |  |
Stock repurchase program, remaining authorized repurchase amount |  | $ 195,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating lease, liability |  |  |  |  |  | $ 179,000,000 |  |  |  |
Operating lease, right-of-use asset |  |  |  |  |  | 179,000,000 |  |  |  |
Cumulative effect |  |  |  |  |  | $ 0 |  |  |  |

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