Alameda County, CA just became the most recent city to close the door on medical marijuana, passing a 45-day moratorium on the expansion or establishment of dispensaries. The move comes in response to the “Purple Elephant,” a dispensary which opened on Webster St., a busier part of town.

City officials claimed the owner “snuck through” the permitting process by only writing that he was seeking to open a “retail operation.” Although why not ask a question when you see the name Purple Elephant, if you’re so concerned?

Some 14 years later, a new generation of county supervisors is still sorting through its options. For example, in July, the board agreed to allow licensed dispensaries in unincorporated Alameda County to carry hashish, but would not allow these same dispensaries to carry food made with marijuana.

The move is no doubt intended to give local legislators time to find a legal way to remove the Purple Elephant and create a lasting ban. Again, the vague wording of Prop. 215 continues to cause confusion and harassment of legitimate business owners.

Defeated by a vote of roughly 60 to 40, the groundbreaking initiative would have moved California further towards decriminalization than any other state in the union. While Prop. 5 advocates lost, they may have reason for optimism considering the 40 percent of the vote it had garnered. Surprising, considering all of the resources dedicated to its defeat, like basically everyone in California with a badge, MADD, John Walters and his unethical use of federal resources to interfere with a state election and Charlie Sheen, who of all people was the spokesperson.

Prop. 9, which called for a bigger say for victims in sentencing, passed, and Prop. 6, which called for more spending on law enforcement, failed, which means California voters want tougher penalties, but to spend less money to regulate more criminals.

The latest reports on Prop. 8, are that 52% of Californians have voted Yes, with 95% of districts reporting. Although that’s not a definitive pass, the chances of 8% of the remaining precincts swinging the result are very low.

More relevant results after the jump.

In San Francisco, Measure T, which adequately funds drug treatment on demand, passed overwhelmingly.

Michigan’s medical marijuana initiative passed easily, as it was expected to do.

Massachusetts voters approved a striking measure that entirely eliminates criminal penalties for marijuana users, medical or otherwise.

Oregon’s draconian Measure 61 – establishing 3-year mandatory minimums for certain drug offenses – was defeated by the passage (by a higher margin) of a Measure 57, a competing initiative on the same subject.