Statistics show that the prevalence of crack cocaine use and embalming fluid and phencyclidine (PCP)-laced cigarettes or marijuana sticks, commonly referred to on the street as "fry" or "wet" is a problem; however, the relationship between these substances of abuse and concurrent polydrug use is unknown. In the present study, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 426 African-American crack users in Houston, Texas, to investigate the difference between those who concurrently reported lifetime (defined as at least one usage of fry in life) fry use and those who stated they never used fry. The data were analyzed using chi-square and logistic regression analyses. Fry users were significantly more likely than non-users to not have a casual sex partner (92% users vs. 84% non-users, p < or = 0.05) and were more likely to have been diagnosed with gonorrhea in the past 12 months (9% users vs. 2% non-users, p < or = 0.05). In addition fry users had significantly higher odds of currently trading sex for drugs (OR = 2.30, p < or = 0.05), marijuana use (OR = 12.11, p < or = 0.05), and codeine (syrup) use (OR = 8.10, p < or = 0.05). These findings are important in determining the "cultural novelties" relative to crack and fry use among younger African Americans.