[cookiecaper]

There is an argument that this is an in-demand service that will be practiced legitimately or illegitimately. Thus, instead of providing the atmosphere for a black market, the state licenses practitioners so that some standards can be enforced and so that it has a way to prevent known-harmful quacks from practicing.

[Grishnakh]

You could make that argument about a bunch of things: prostitution, drugs, auto mechanics, etc. But I don't see much push to license these things rather than criminalize them or ignore them. Drugs cost society a huge amount in many ways, but there's been no push to license that until just recently with marijuana. Mechanics aren't licensed, though they do have a totally private certification system. How many people have died from bad chiropractors, compared to cars breaking down (not so much now, but in the old days this was probably a problem) or using tainted illegal drugs? And how many people have died by going to chiropractors or other such quacks instead of real doctors? Steve Jobs is a good example of the latter.

[cookiecaper]

>You could make that argument about a bunch of things: prostitution, drugs, auto mechanics, etc.

Yes, indeed you could.

> But I don't see much push to license these things rather than criminalize them or ignore them

It probably depends on what segments of the population you run with, but among some groups, there is a fervent belief that both the drug trade and sex work should be legitimized, licensed, tracked, and taxed by the state.

You're right that this argument could be made for anything, and that ultimately a moral judgment has to be made as to whether the practice is tolerable under regulation or whether the practice is so offensive that it should prohibited totally. I'm just saying state licensure shouldn't necessarily be interpreted as a recommendation or endorsement of the service offered; it is perhaps more prudent to interpret it as a service that is recognized as in-demand and deserving of regulation without implying a judgment as to whether the service is beneficial.

[GFK_of_xmaspast]

Lots of states make their auto mechanics get licensed.