Oprah Winfrey, host of the most-watched daytime television talk show, admitted during a program that aired Friday that she had smoked cocaine in her early 20s, the Washington Post reported.

The paper said Winfrey, who turns 41 this month, broke down Wednesday while taping a program about recovering from drug abuse and admitted that she also had used drugs.The program, taped in Chicago, dealt with the subject of women who have had drug problems. Four mothers were the guests, including Patrice Gaines, a Washington Post reporter who has written a book about her own troubled life.

Winfrey's admission came after a discussion with one woman, identified only as Charmaine, who said she currently smokes crack cocaine, but isn't sure whether she is an addict because she is still functioning in her daily life, the paper said.