Aaron Marshall, a former statehouse reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, has been tapped to lead PR for the push for medical marijuana in Ohio.

aaron marshallMarshall was named director of communications for Ohioans for Medical Marijuana, the Columbus-based group running a ballot campaign in the Buckeye State.

He recently handled executive communications as a senior writer for Ohio State University president Michael Drake and started out with Gannett and Columbus Monthly.

Ohioans for Medical Marijuana also named Brandon Lynaugh as campaign manager. Lynaugh led the charge to defeat the Responsible Ohio ballot initiative last year, which would have legalized marijuana for recreational and medical use.

Twenty-three states have legalized marijuana for medical use.