During the 2016 presidential campaign, then-candidate Donald Trump raised eyebrows with his surprisingly relaxed attitude toward marijuana legalization. As president, he’s won plaudits for embracing criminal justice reform. So the Trump administration’s push for a ban on all non-tobacco e-cigarettes appears out of character for an administration committed to deregulation and cost-benefit analysis.

The announcement sparked a furious backlash that caught the administration off-guard. It shouldn’t have surprised them.

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