AUGUSTA (AP) – Maine lawmakers want to repeal a ban they enacted last year on the sale of a tobacco lozenge product known as hard snuff.

The Senate on Wednesday gave its final approval to the bill and sent it to Gov. John Baldacci for his signature.

The ban on selling or giving away hard snuff was passed last year as part of a broader anti-tobacco bill. In the meantime, lawmakers were told they had made a mistake.

The company that markets the product says it is widely used by smokers to wean them from tobacco dependence. They also say their product is packaged so it is not attractive to minors.

The repeal would take effect immediately upon Baldacci’s signature.