Having read the article, Dr Gil Ross's opinions appear to be pretty much pro-vaping, he seems pretty disappointed that most of the NGOs supposedly responsible for health regulation in the US aren't 100% behind it, despite the obvious health benefits. (ie: the benefits those NGOs in question are supposed to be supporting).
His quote looks like it's been shoe-horned in, and possibly abridged. It's poorly written and littered with hyphens.