Melissa Gilbert: 'Miley Cyrus Wanted to Get Caught'

(Dec. 14) -- From one former child star to another, Melissa Gilbert is telling Miley Cyrus to get real.

The former "Little House on the Prairie" star talked to AOL News in an exclusive interview about Cyrus' claim that she was smoking salvia out of a bong, after video captured her inhaling what some assumed was an illegal substance.

"That's bull----!" Gilbert said. "I think it was marijuana."

These days, it's Gilbert's job to be aware of drugs and their effects because she's the celebrity spokeswoman for The Partnership at Drugfree.org, a nonprofit that helps parents prevent, intervene in, and find treatment for drug and alcohol use by their children.

Miley Cyrus was partying with some friends and seen here smoking a bong. November 27th, 2010

X17online.com

Miley Cyrus was partying with some friends and seen here smoking a bong on Nov. 27. But former child actor Melissa Gilbert says Cyrus was probably smoking marijuana -- not the drug salvia, as the "Hannah Montana" star claims.

Not only that, but Gilbert also shares many things in common with Cyrus -- they were both child stars who grew up in showbiz families. As such, she is skeptical that the "Hannah Montana" star wasn't aware that she was being filmed.

"These days, everyone with a cell phone is a paparazzo," she said. "How high do you have to be to let a friend film you? I think she wanted to get caught."

Gilbert, 46, isn't casting stones at Cyrus: She has had her own problems with substance abuse, overcoming a drinking problem and later finding out that her stepson was addicted to cocaine.

"I'm part of the first generation of people who can't say they didn't know the dangers of drugs," she said. "But even though my stepson had four parents, all of whom had experience with drugs, we [missed] it! Kids are very crafty at hiding stuff. If we can miss it, anyone can."

Former 'Little House on the Prairie' star Melissa Gilbert, here with her son, Michael, is now the spokeswoman for The Partnership at Drugfree.org, a nonprofit that helps parents prevent, intervene in and find treatment for drug and alcohol use by their children. (Theo & Juliet)

Theo & Juliet

Former "Little House on the Prairie" star Gilbert, here with her son, Michael, is the spokeswoman for The Partnership at Drugfree.org, which helps parents prevent, intervene in, and find treatment for drug and alcohol use by their children.

Gilbert concedes that the latest Cyrus scandal is bound to revive that old meme that child stars are more susceptible to drug and alcohol abuse, but says, in her case, the work actually helped her stay sober.

"Work was 'the safe place' for me," she said. "I only went to work hungover once."

Cyrus' handlers may be in serious damage control now, but Gilbert sees the actress' situation -- and her own personal struggle as having positive events for society in general.

"Hopefully, these kids in the public eye like Cyrus and Heath Ledger are cautionary tales," she said.