Chinese officials have been told to refrain from smoking in public places in an effort to set an example for the rest of the country, the Associated Press reported.

Government officials in China were asked to "take the lead" in adhering to a smoking ban in public spaces including schools, hospitals, and sport venues, reported the Xinhua News Agency citing a circular from the Community Party of China Central Committee and the State Council.

"Smoking remains a relatively universal phenomenon in public venues. Some officials smoke in public places, which does not only jeopardized the environment and public health, but tarnished the image of Party and government offices and leaders and has a negative influence," the circular read, according to Xinhua.

Officials are also prohibited from smoking or offering cigarettes when performing official duties and from using public funds to buy them.

In addition to the ban, advertisements and the sale of tobacco products will no longer be allowed in Party and government offices and "prominent notices" of smoking bans must be displayed in reception offices, passageways, cafeterias and rest rooms, Xinhua reported.

According to the AP, there is no nationwide law banning smoking from indoor public places, but the Chinese government has tried to ban the practice in the past.

The Health Ministry issued guidelines in 2011 banning smoking in venues including hotels and restaurants. However, experts say they were not strictly enforced because huge revenues from the state-owned tobacco monopoly hindered anti-smoking measures, the AP reported.

China is the world's largest cigarette producer and it has the largest number of smokers. The number of smokers in the nation exceeds 300 million, with at least 740 million nonsmokers regularly exposed to secondhand smoke.