Marlboro maker Altria in talks to take minority stake in Juul

By the numbers

• Traditional cigarette smoking is decreasing in the U.S. Nearly 38 million, or 15.5%, of American adults smoked cigarettes in 2016, which is down from 20.9% in 2005, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Altria also sells e-cigarettes, but Juul beats its sliver of the market share along with other competitors like British American Tobacco and R.J. Reynolds.

Yes, but: If Altria goes through with investing more in the controversial e-cigarette market, the price could be steep considering the startup's bolstering valuation.

Go deeper:

• A surge in youth vaping is driving the FDA's crackdown
• FDA planning proposal to ban menthol cigarettes