"The courts can't rely on the defendant being drug tested by a madam in a brothel to solve this problem," Helzer said.
But Houston said on Thursday the licensed testing was a legitimate way for Thorson to demonstrate "he is not just talking the talk but walking the walk."
"What the state fails to appreciate is the license of that brothel is dependent upon keeping everyone drug free," Houston said in an interview with The Associated Press.
"I cannot think of any other business that has a more vested interest in making sure people are following the law," he said.
Hof said he agreed to pay $15,000 bail to free Thorson from Washoe County jail May 31 after two employees told him about the HBO drama detailing Thornson's relationship with the flamboyant Vegas performer.
Hof, whose brothel was featured in the HBO series "Cathouse," said he moved Thorson into his guest house behind the brothel so Thorson can get treatment for colon cancer and drug problems.
Thorson has had prior run-ins with the law relating to drugs, and he was shot multiple times in a shooting connected to his participation as a witness in a murder case, Hof said.
Deputy District Attorney Rebecca Druckman said Thursday that while the prosecutors advocated inpatient treatment, they had no complaints about the judge's decision.
She noted that if Thorson fails to comply with the drug court program or other conditions of his probation, the judge made it clear he'll have to serve the prison term of 96 to 240 months.
He also was ordered to pay $1,470 in restitution to the credit card company.
Druckman said prosecutors were more concerned about the way Thornson portrayed himself as a celebrity. She said he indicated to the court he intends to write a second book focusing on his own effort to "get clean and help people with cancer and help other drug addicts ... and he implied he could do so as a celebrity."
"That overshadows the truths of the case that a real person was hurt by the defendant's criminal misconduct," she said Thursday.