| Illinois is like most other places in the United | | | | industry, the ordinance was tabled in April. But it |
| States, with the government helping to regulate | | | | eventually passed, without much fanfare or |
| and ensure the professional quality of the | | | | notice, despite the objections of the Chicago |
| massage therapists who live within its jurisdiction. | | | | massage therapy industry and individual |
| Indeed, 40 of 50 states now have statewide | | | | Chicago-based therapists. |
| regulations of their massage therapy industries, | | | | What does all this mean? Unfortunately, on a |
| whose nationwide, annual income totals between | | | | philosophical level, it seems to mean that people |
| $16 and $20 billion. It is therefore surprising and | | | | still associate the industry with others that should |
| disappointing that the city recently decided to ban | | | | be tucked away, out of sight and out of mind |
| the opening of any new Chicago massage | | | | (thus the ordinance not banning new businesses, |
| therapy businesses unless they have special | | | | but restricting them to certain areas of the city). |
| permits and locate themselves in "industrial | | | | This is maddeningly inconsistent considering |
| corridors". | | | | massage therapy's strict regulation by the state |
| Fortunately, massage therapy businesses already | | | | of Illinois. |
| licensed in the city of Chicago were | | | | From a practical standpoint, this ordinance is bad |
| "grandfathered in" and do not have to move from | | | | for the Chicago massage therapy industry |
| their current locations. But it seems unfair that | | | | specifically and business generally. Indeed, not only |
| new businesses, whose therapists must operate | | | | will new Chicago office massage, or any other |
| under strict regulation by the state of Illinois with | | | | therapy business be forced to jump through |
| specific professional requirements, must relegate | | | | extra hoops and set up shop in potentially |
| themselves to neighborhoods that feature | | | | undesirable areas, but it will also be difficult for |
| used-car lots, taverns, liquor stores, and | | | | established businesses to change locations, as |
| warehouses. | | | | they would be subject to the new policy if they |
| One of the more frustrating aspects of this new | | | | decided to move. This inconsistent and unfair |
| ordinance, which officially passed in June of this | | | | grouping of a legitimate and regulated industry |
| year, is that Chicago therapists rallied to protest it | | | | with other less-desired business will send the |
| when the ordinance first came up for a vote in | | | | wrong message to other companies and industries |
| April. Mainly due to this pressure from the | | | | who may fear similar treatment. |