LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — More than two years after Arkansans voted to legalize medical marijuana, the commission created to approve licenses for cultivators and growers has had to respond to public criticisms of lack of transparency and sluggish movement.

Dr. Ronda Henry-Tillman, who chairs the Medical Marijuana Commission, said Tuesday that she believed the frequent public meetings were examples of the commission's transparency. Commissioners also largely attributed slow marijuana growth to cultivators.

The commission will hear from cultivators at the end of the month.

Since 2016, the commission has been dogged with accusations of corruption and collusion. Last month, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported that commissioner Dr. Carlos Roman appeared to hand an unredacted successful cultivator application to a cultivator whose application was rejected.

The commission did not respond to public questions about Roman's actions.