[ijdgaf]

I like to think of it as Starfleet showing they meant business. They made a lot of restrictions and rules regarding space travel I'm sure, but this was one where they seriously weren't screwing around.

We have to keep in mind that this was before Gene got tripped out on his pristine, utopian future kick. Betterment of mankind and all that. TOS took place in a grittier, hairier universe than TNG. So it's not all so surprising that such oddities exist.