Occupational licensing by government is, in my view, on feeble ground even when it comes to medical doctors (there are always strong incentives for marketplace decision-makers to sort out the competent from the incompetent and that works better than reliance on bureaucratic licensing boards). Since the true purpose of licensing is not protection of the public, but rather to restrict entry and exercise control over the profession, you would expect to see licensing schemes in all kinds of occupations. This column by Jacob Sullum discusses perhaps the silliest occupational licensing requirement I’ve ever heard — for flower arrangers!