u/ChildhoodTraining174

I need help!!! So I’ve been grilling for a while now and just wanted to get into smoking meats. I don’t have an offset smoker but I’ve been seeing videos off people using the snake method (using briquettes in a snake form and only lighting one side). But from what I’ve been lead to believe is that when first lighting briquettes they let off this dark smoke that smells bad. Does it light differently in the grill when smoking rather than using a chimney? Is it safe to do? Does the meat get the awful smell of the briquettes? I just want to know cause every time I see a video on this the comment section is divided on weather it’s safe or not