> While desomorphine was found to be faster acting and more effective than morphine for the rapid relief of severe pain, its shorter duration of action and the relatively more severe respiratory depression produced at equianalgesic doses, as well as a high incidence of other side effects such as hypotension and urinary retention, were felt to outweigh any potential advantages.[15][16]
From [15] we have: short duration which is independent of dose, tolerance, persistent decrease in respiratory rate, <when used to treat severe chronic pain> less sleep compared to morphine, possible greater withdrawal symptoms than morphine.
For medical uses [15] cites some good uses where it is preferable to morphine, but this is a drug that's even more worthy of regulation than morphine itself.
But definitely isn't worse than alcohol and fentanyl and 6MAM are both used medically. The damage from krokodil, as you mention, is from the impurities. Not to mention, krokodil wouldn't even be a thing if people had access to the usual schedule 1 substances
One of the reasons those drugs are expensive is because of the illegality. In states with permissive cannabis laws the prices have fallen enormously. Not to mention people could easily grow poppies if it were legal to do so and extract the latex
