Etizolam is a drug from the thienotriazoldiazepine class, widely prescribed as 
anxiolytic due to its apparently secure toxicological profile. Nevertheless, 
some recent cases of etizolam dependence, intoxications and fatalities 
associated to its abuse have been reported in the international literature. For 
this reason, the drug listed as new psychoactive substance (NPS) by the World 
Health Organization (WHO) since 2015. Euphoric effect at high dosage is the 
first cause of its recreational use that has determined a wider distribution in 
the illicit market. An experimental study was performed to obtain evidence that 
etizolam at low therapeutic dosages is a drug with negligible influence on the 
psychomotor performances involved in driving. The psychomotor performance was 
assessed by performing different tests, such as critical tracking task (CTT), 
critical flicker fusion (CFF), choice reaction time (CRT), visual vigilance task 
(VVT), response competition test (RCT) in a group of 16 healthy volunteers after 
a single administration of etizolam at two different dosages (0.25 mg or 
1.00 mg) in comparison to placebo. The test results showed that etizolam at 
0.25 mg and 1.00 mg had no significant effect on vigilance, short term memory, 
psychomotor coordination or speed in decision making. Differently, abuse of 
etizolam to obtain the euphoric effects at presumably high dosages or in 
combination with other psychoactive substances could be fatal. The negligible 
side effects on mental and behavioral function demonstrated by this study, could 
represent an incitement to abuse, which can be strongly discouraged with correct 
information on differences between its correct use and its misuse.